New Life
by Serenity984
Summary: MattSora Fic. Sora studies in Paris and falls in love with Matt and shortly they elope. Now she takes him home, with Tk in tow, to meet family and friends.
1. Chapter 1

Sunlight peeked through the ivory lightweight curtains, which covered the window that was open slightly allowing a breeze to seep pass. The sheer curtains stretched gracefully as the breeze wisped through the fabric enabling a small whisper of morning's air to filter the spacious room. 

The light from the morning's sun cast a small amount of glow into the quiet hotel room giving the room a warming feeling. Sora felt the sun's rays against her face and she stretched in her bed feeling the warmth of her husband next to her. Newlyweds, she smiled raising her hand in the air in order to admire the single silver band on her wedding finger.

The marriage was quite sudden which is why she did not have an engagement ring, in truth, they skipped the engagement part of the courtship. Back home, she would never have done something so spontaneous. She was so careful, making sure everything felt right and felt true before marching ahead. So unlike her best friend at home.

Speaking of which, Tai was going to flip, Mimi would never shut up, and her mother would cry missing the wedding she had planned for Sora since the day she was born and she would receive a silent treatment from her father.

She knew all this when she said her marriage vowels, her family and friends were not pushed aside but she was in love allowing reason to slip. She would claim temperamentally insane due for being head over heels in love. Would that work? No, her love ones would just claim her insane.

Her mother would say that she jumped into this too fast, that she was inexperienced with any sort of relationship that did not involve strictly friendship. Mimi would act hurt in result of Sora not taking a moment to pick up the telephone to relate her elopement with her dearest, most beautiful best friend in the whole wide world.

Tai would be different from her family and other friends. Tai was different from anyone she had and will ever know which is a shame. There should be more Tai's in the world. He would look at her funny. Ask her if she was sure and then give her a slow nod in understanding even if he didn't comprehend the entire situation.

"I don"t know if you did something right or if you made the biggest mistake of your life, Sor." She could hear him say, "But which ever way this road takes you, I'll be there for as long as you need me. Right or wrong, count me in."

Sora had gone to France to study with some well-known designers and during a party, a social event that was expressed importantly to her that she must attend, she met her husband. Of course, he was not hers at the time. He had a young woman holding onto to his arm as through someone would snatch him from her at any given moment.

Sora had always been the competitor type when it came to sports but never towards a relationship and she would had never even thought about even trying to take a man from a woman and if Matt had been married to this girl or even engaged, Sora would had backed off. That was not the case, Matt was fair game and for once Sora was up to the chase.

There was just something about him that trigged this extra beat in her heart. He did not seem to have taken notice of her but she memorized everything about him. His tall length, his golden hair, and the odd shade of blue eyes, the bluest eyes she had ever seen, she even loved that cocky smile and the deep rich laugh.

She admired his broad shoulders, his casual but cool stance and the way his clothing tailored to fit give him the appearance of a powerful man yet so very seductive as well. The only thing she would had changed was that extra skin of blonde bimbo hanging onto his arm in a tight black, strapless dress with breast ready to fall out from her top.

"I want him." Sora told the blonde curly headed girl standing beside her.

"I"m sorry, who?" Catherine tilted her head from curiosity, which caused loose curls to bounce around her face.

"Him." Sora nodded her red head towards her prey.

"Matt?" Catherine giggled, "You and everyone else."

Sora sighed, wrapping her arms around herself as though she was cold. "I"m fooling myself. Guys like that do not look at girls like me. Look at the girl wrapping herself around him. She looks gorgeous, fake but gorgeous."

"So do you darling." Catherine rolled her eyes. "Err...well not fake. She looks, as you said cheap and easy. Unlike you. You my dearest friend looks sophisticated. You know what; I shall introduce him to you."

"You know him?" Sora eyes grew large.

"Is it so hard to believe?" Catherine smiled again pulling Sora by the arm towards Matt.

"I can't!" Sora pulled back. "What do I say? I was admiring from afar and decided I wanted you?"

"Nice pick up line." Catherine let a gentle laugh escape her ruby lips. "Maybe he hasn't heard that one yet."

"Ugh."

"Well don't do that. You make noises like that and he will not take you serious. First appearances are everything and that would be considered rude in this atmosphere." Catherine turned quickly around to give Sora a quick check over. She smoothed a wrinkle from the other girl's dress and pinched her cheeks to give her a little more colour.

"Oww!" Sora reached up and pressed her hands to her wounded cheeks.

"Don't be a baby." Catherine rolled her eyes. "You look great, really and don't worry about what to say. Wait, no. You do need to worry. I can start you out but Matt is a man of few words. He won't volunteer any information so be prepared to ask questions until you spark something he may be interested in."

"Now I know I can not go through with this!" Sora placed her face in her hands and peeked at Matt through open fingers. "Oh but he does look so good."


	2. Chapter 2

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies and alerts. It has been awhile since I wrote anything but I hope everyone enjoys the story. For once, I am chapters ahead from what I post and hopefully it will stay that way. I was going to post this part next week but I couldn't help myself. I'm eager to show off chapter three but I do need to pace myself so I have something new to be read.

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Catherine smiled devilishly as she glanced over at Matt and back at Sora.

"This is so not like me!" Sora stomped her foot. "I need to just go and sit somewhere. Now I know why so many people take cold showers."

"Certain men can have that effect on a woman." Catherine patted Sora on the back with sympathy.

"I don't even know anything about him? What does he do? Does he do anything at all?"

"Quick back round information on the subject at hand." Catherine took a deep breath, "Matt has a younger brother who is still in school and currently is living with Matt. His name is Tk and he is a spitting image of his brother. Now, Matt is in a band called the Wolves and is very close to his weird, messed up but very much loved by me, band mates. He is considered famous but clearly unknown to you. Rich, famous and gorgeous makes him a wonderful catch for any female. He plays the bass. I am not sure what the difference between a guitar and a bass but he keeps telling me there is a difference in all guitars. He has this most wonderful vocal voice. He and his band write their own music; sometimes his brother will send him something. His brother is a fabulous writer as well. What else. His grandparents on his mother's side are French, reason he is here now. His grandparents have been long time friends with my family. I bet somewhere down our family tree there was even a marriage...well are you ready?"

"I can't do this." Sora placed her hands over her face. "I have never in my life picked up a guy before."

"Too late." Catherine placed her dimpled smile on, turned quickly around, and waved a hand slightly in the air. "Matt!" Matt turned towards the curly blonde and gave a brief nod before turning back to the small group which he was speaking to in order to excuse himself from the conversation as well as from the python of a girl who clinged to his arms. He walked over towards Catherine, politely nodding his head in acknowledgement to the people who made eye contact with him.

"Catherine." Matt bent down and placed a small kiss on the blonde's rosy cheek. Sora mentally sighed in hearing his deep soft voice melt through her.

"I've missed you." Catherine pouted reaching up and smoothing his dinner jacket.

"You were avoiding me, remember?" Matt lifted up an eyebrow. "Last time we spoken you caused a scene, in front of fifty people I add, on how you never wanted to see me again."

"Oh, right. Do you remember why?" Catherine bit the edge of her lip."I cannot seem to recall why but I am most positive that it was for a worthy reason and that the blame was entirely your fault."

"I will not remind you if you cannot remember." Matt winked at her.

"Ah, well yes I suppose I could see your side of it. However I always say that when I am upset with anyone and anyone who is my friend would know that I never actually mean what I say when I say it." Catherine fluttered her eyelashes dramatic bringing a grin to Matt and Sora's faces.

"Oh dear! Forgive me, Matt. I am being rude!" Catherine placed a hand on Sora's arm. "Matt this is my roommate, Sora. Sora, this is a dear friend of mine, Matt. Our families have been friends for well┘forever." Catherine blinked her pale blue eyes innocently.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Sora." Matt reached out for her hand, which she shakily placed into his.

"Likewise." Sora felt a blush creep up from her neck to her cheek.

"Sora is studying to be a designer here in Paris." Catherine continued smiling as Matt kept his eyes on the redhead."Paris is a beautiful place to study anything." Matt remarked.

"Yes. I am finding it out." Sora cleared her throat and with a quick encourage smile from Catherine, continued. "However, I've been living here for a year now and I have to admit that I haven't taken the advantage of the sights of yet."

"A year? I had no idea; Catherine must have kept you hidden." Matt glanced at his female friend.

"Nonsense. How could I hide anyone? My home is open to all my friends. You my dear just had been too busy for me." Catherine once again pouted.

"I attended all your parties." Matt reminded her.

"Oh, well you shouldn't blame her." Sora cut in. "I'm not much of a party person and I had avoided some of her parties."

"_All _of my parties not just some of my parties, but all of them. And may I add that you also skipped out in any possible romance that I had lined up for you."Catherine reminded her. "Really Matt, this girl is all study and no play. You must do me a favour and take her sight seeing."

"Catherine." Matt looked down at his glass of wine.

"No. I will not hear any excuses from either of you. Sora has become a dear friend of mine. I want bonding from you two! Now promise me that you will show her around and Sora you will not give me a no, understand."

"I don't want to be a bother, Catherine." Sora frowned. She was not too thrilled about trapping Matt into a date. That was how Catherine worked however, a quick plan forms in the girl's mind and she forgets to share it with her friends.

"I would enjoy the pleasure of taking you to see some of the sights, however I don't want..." Matt wanted to explain his situation to this girl, for reasons unknown to him other then it felt important.

"Matt is most famous, just not in your world. She really has been living a sheltered life, Matt. The most naive girl that I have ever had the opportunity to meet." Catherine rolled her eyes. "He is a musician and belongs to a band. He fears that any girl he innocently takes out will become his mistress on the tabloids. This, blemishing any kind of reputation you may have intact. However, we do not live in the eighteen hundreds so Sora shall survive. She has a strong soul. And, perhaps she can show you some of her designs." Catherine kept rambling. "Sora, Matt has a huge event coming up which he must dress up for and sadly he is lacks in that area. If it was not for me he would had waltzed in to this party wearing black jeans and some black, out-dated rock-n-roll t-shirt. Perhaps Sora is just what you need. She can dress you. Of course, I am suggesting a very innocent proposal. If you two take it to a higher, sexual level..."

"Catherine." Matt growled.


	3. Chapter 3

ATHUR'S NOTE:

Remember when I said I couldn't wait to post this next part? Well I'm glad I did wait since I added a great deal. In the orignal work there was not to be a date. This story will flip back and forth from time to time and a date scence was not ment to be a part of that. However a review indicated how much a date scence was being looked forward too. So I produce a scence...which gave me an idea for another story. I don't believe the story orginal formate would confuse anyone however just in case I will be adding "Past" (not so distant past however) and "Present" to some areas as a preocaution. I hope you enjoy this next chapter, it was not to be as long but...sometimes things are just better the second time around. The oringal copy had a little more of Sora and Matt in present time, but that will be saved for the next chapter.

Oh and the rating... At the moment it is "T" however things may turn to "M". If you feel that this is already rated incorrectly, please feel free to throw me a signal. I do not wish to offend any of the fanfiction readers.

Cheers!

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STORY STARTING NOW:

Sora sighed softly and turned on her side to come face to face with her sleeping husband. She softly brushed away the blond strains from his slumbering eyes and kissed his forehead then the bridge of his nose and a soft kiss upon his lip.

The last kiss caused him to stir in his sleep but he did not wake. He could sense Sora near him, but because of sleep, she still felt distant. Just out of sight but still so near. He caught the scent of her; he heard her soft melodious voice, all that intoxicated his mind as he neared a dreamlike state. Yet it was the playful exploration of her silky touch that prevented him from any dreams. He became fully focused on his wife as her hand slid down his chest and under the blankets.

"Ah, now I know how to get you to rise in the mornings." Sora took advantage of his slow sleeping mind and rolled him on his back to sling her naked body over his own. She again kissed him upon the lips then moved to the base of his neck, which she had found was a vulnerable spot of his.

"Lov, that will raise me morning, day and night." Matt closed his eyes as she continued to caress him under the blankets.

"I'm sure." Sora wiggled above him and grinned as Matt groaned from her playful action.

He opened his eyes slightly and peered at his wife, "You are playful this morning, aren't you?"

"I. Love. Mornings." She kissed him between her spoken words.

"And I," Matt rolled her over to change their positions. "Am deeply in love with you." He bent his head down to trail kisses over her body. This time Sora was moved against him with desire instead of with the delight in teasing.

She cupped his chin; bring his head up to look at her. "I love you."

Matt pulled away and bent back down to her breast, "Enough talk, let me continue to make love to you."

Sora smiled and slid her hands through Matt's thick golden locks as he continued to tease her.

Sora would love to tell her grandchildren that her and Matt's first date was exactly the romance you would find in Paris. It was a storybook romantic evening…

However, she would not lie to them. Their first date was not the regular date, in fact she wouldn't even consider it a date.

**Past:**

"Sure, I understand." Sora quietly spoke into the telephone. "No, no. Really, it is all right, you cannot help it if you are feeling ill. Okay…bye."

Her bright eyes begin to brim with tears even before she could place the telephone back on its cradle.

"God. I remember why I never dated!" She wiped away a few tears that shimmered down her cheeks. She went shopping for him! She had picked up this beautiful outfit and even had her hair trimmed and fingernails painted. All for a person who end up cancelling their date at the very last minute?

Officially, it was not a date, she supposed. Just seeing some of the tourist attractions but she had her heart set on the brief trip. For once in her life, she was looking forward to something more from a person then friendship. Just being with him and…well what did it matter now? She would be spending her day alone as she always done for a year. She missed home; she missed hearing her friends laugh. Moving to Paris was the worse idea she ever conquered up.

Sora picked up a book she had been reading when the telephone rang and walked to bright red sofa that Catherine had just purchased. She sat on the right side of the sofa, curling her feet under her and held the book up to read. Instead of reading, she found herself just staring at the words until the black print blurred together.

"Sora. Oh Sora." Catherine's voice interrupted Sora's train of thought. Her roommate apparently forgot something and had come back home from her appointments to retrieve the object. "Hey, there you are. I thought you would be getting ready by now. Matt should be here in an hour."

Sora looked up at Catherine.

"What's wrong?" Her roommates blue eyes grew with concern. Catherine laid her purse on a small table and sat next to the redhead. "What is it, Sora?"

"He cancelled." Sora gave a brave smile, after all Matt was a friend of Catherine's. "He said that he was ill and didn't think it would be a good idea to venture out today."

Catherine gave a slow nod.

"I knew this would happen. I had my hopes up and…" Sora wiped away her tears once more. "I am being silly. I am not this way. I never cried over a boy, especially one I don't really know."

"He's special." Catherine patted her friend's knee.

"But why? What makes him different then any other guy?"

"Hey, I think he's a jerk so don't ask me." Catherine watched a small grin appear on her friend's face. "But it is clear that he is starting to mean a lot to you. Which, has me more worried as well. I never before seen you swoon over a guy."

"I don't even know him." Sora sniffled. "I guess it doesn't matter. He does not want to see me. Probably with the blonde python."

"Maybe. To be honest, Matt has err…changed his engagements around before."

"You mean he's stood other girls up too. Geez, now I do not feel so alone. You know, I should call them all up so we can form a club to grieve."

"I told you he is a jerk." Catherine turned and picked up her purse. "Come on."

"Where?"

"To see Matt." Catherine pulled her friend up off the couch. "We'll bring him some soup and see if he is jerking you around or if he is really ill."

"No Catherine." Sora shook her head.

"Now really Sora, you are not thinking clearly. Since when have I ever taken 'no' from you?" Catherine pushed Sora out the door. "You are coming or I will up the payment of your rent!"

Catherine sighed and chimed the doorbell for the third time. She was hoping Matt would answer the door and prove to Sora he is not all heartless. So for, however, he failed to prove himself which really was not a surprising her.

Oh but she going to kill him if he is not near deathbed! On the drive to his home, she mentally jotted down ways to kill him. One-hundred ways to kill a jerk, what a good title that would make once she had been convicted and sold the movie rights…

"He's not home, Catherine." Sora stood behind the blonde with her arms crossed.

"Well…maybe he fell and knocked himself out and can't come to the door." Catherine suggested.

"I doubt that." Sora rolled her eyes.

"Well there is only one way to find out." Catherine went around the side of the home and flipped up a window.

"Are you breaking in?" Sora asked.

"No, I am just entering the house from a different angel." Catherine heaved her stomach up on the windowsill and slithered in. It was a few minutes before she poked her head out, "Coming or shall I open the door for you?"

"Doesn't he have security alarms?"

"Yes but he never sets them until nightfall. I guess he doesn't think anyone would break in during the day." Catherine shrugged and held out her arms to help Sora climb in. "Really for someone with so much intelligence, one would think he'd be a little clever."

Sora looked around the room she just entered. A huge kitchen with black and white tile and stainless steel appliances.

"Follow me." Catherine made her way through a small door on the left bringing them to the base of the stairway. "This home is one of the oldest homes in the area. Although it has been remodelled but only the baths and kitchen."

"Oh." Sora walked carefully on the narrow steps that lead straight up. If it was not for the light fixture, there would be no light at all on this stairway, which Sora was sure would cause some kind of a fall.

"This is the servants' staircase. On the top floor is a set of rooms where they slept. Of course there are no servants dwelling here now." Catherine kept with the history lesson. "Don't mind me, I love old homes. They seem to have…life of their own."

Finally, the stairs tampered off to a small base in front of a thick door. Catherine wiggled the old handle but the door did not budge. "Sure he locks this door but doesn't lock his windows."

"Back down?" Sora took a glance downward at the narrow wooden steps leading into a darker area.

"Nonsense." Catherine took a pin out of her hair and proceed to pick the lock. "The former owner had only the doors entering the home with security locks, not the locks within the home. I am quiet please to find that Matt has also decided to leave them. They are so much easier to pick open."

"You are amazing. When first meeting you, I'd never have thought you would break into a home." Sora watched the old door creak open into a beautiful hallway. A thick corridor carpet ran the length of the hall and lights made to resemble candles lined the wall giving off a soft flickering glow. The curtains were thick and rich not allowing light to sparkle through the glass.

"Nice, huh?" Catherine asked. "This is the first home I helped decorate."

Sora nodded her head. It was as she walked back in time where ball gowns, carriage rides and the 'Ton' was the rage. She took a moment to admire the artwork on the wall as Catherine pushed forward. The carpeting prevented sounds to their steps.

"It's so quiet." Sora notice Catherine turning a corner and hurried down the hall. Although the place was magnificent, it also held an old eerie feeling.

"Okay, moment of truth." Catherine turned slowly to Sora as she turned the corner. Catherine now held another doorknob in her hand. "This is the master suite."

Slowly Catherine turned the door and pushed it open to revile a large, heavy, empty, high shined, wooden bed.

"He isn't here." Sora walked into the room and took a deep breath. She could smell his cologne and feel his warmth in this room.

"It's a big house, Sor." Catherine explained.

"Feels empty to me and to you too." Sora glanced at her friend.

"This house always felt empty." Catherine shrugged and walked out of the room.

Sora sat on the corner of the bed and looked around. She glanced down at the pillow, trying to imagine what he would look like sleeping. Next to the thickly covered bed was a stand with a few objects. An empty cup, telephone, clock and a picture.

Sora held the picture in her hand and smiled down at the faces. Three faces smiled back. A man with two blond boys with blue eyes, each holding a fishing pole and huge smiles on their faces. The boys were gathered in the man's arms.

"Really you are being such a baby!" Sora glanced at the doorway at hearing Catherine's voice.

Catherine came back into view with Matt following her and to Sora's relief, he looked ill. Under his eyes were dark but his face looked paler then she remembered. He of course had a fair complexion as she.

Matt stopped at spotting Sora on his bed. "Hello."

"Hi." Sora gave a weak smile back and placed the picture on the stand.

"Sora and I were concern for you. She said you sounded just dreadful over the telley so naturally we had to make sure you were not on your death bed." Catherine sashshaded across the room and sat next to Sora.

"I didn't mean to make anyone worry. I'm sure it is something that will pass within a few hours." Matt sat across from the girls on an antique chair.

"You have a lovely home." Sora gave him a weak smile.

"Thank you." Matt leaned his head back against the chair and looked at the girls with heavy eyes.

"Would you like me to call a physician?" Catherine asked. "You really do look horrible."

"No."

"Where do you feel ill at?" Sora asked. "Is it just a stomach thing or do you ache other places?"

Catherine nudged Sora in the rib and gave her a wicked smile. Sora rolled her eyes at the immaturity of her friend. One minute Catherine can be the most sophisticated girl Sora known, the next she was…well a little like Tai.

"Everywhere." Matt mumbled stretching his legs out.

"Do you have any medication?" Catherine asked. "If not, I will purchase you something for your illness."

Matt gave a slight nod to the bedside table that a box of flu tablets laid beside a lamp.

"Do you want the soup we brought?" Catherine looked over at the tablets.

Sora glanced at her horrified, they did not bring soup!

Matt made a terrible face and shook his head.

"Well come to bed." Catherine stood up and walked over to the boy. "Sora doesn't have to go to her place of employment today, so she can stay here and play nurse with you until I am able to return. It will only be a few hours, when I return I shall have something for your stomach and that headache you complained about in the bathroom. I do which you would let me call a physician, however. You might have something else, like food poison or typhoid."

"I don't have typhoid." Matt whispered.

She pulled Matt up and walked him to his bed. "I think you have a fever as well, darling."

Sora scooted up as Matt crawled into his bed. She stood and watched as Catherine pulled the heavy blankets over the boy and tucked him into bed.

"I don't need a babysitter." Matt mumbled, closing his eyes.

"No, but sometimes its nice to have a friend." Catherine kissed the top of Matt's head. "And when I get back, we will see if you able to eat something. Maybe some broth at the very least."

"I don't want anything."

"I know, you said so before. You do need to drink something. Sora shall make you some tea." Catherine smoothed his hair away from his face before taken Sora by the hand and leading out of the room. "Well at least we know he is ill, the poor dear. Just so you know if he wasn't so ill, I was planning on killing him."

"I don't think it's a good idea for me to stay." Sora told her friend.

"Nonsense! What a better way to get closer to the man!" Catherine rolled her eyes. "A little secret, most men are completely babies when ill. Matt is no exceptions. Naturally he would be fine on his own but it does not mean he does not like to be nursed upon. Of course, he will fuss about not needing you, but he does like to feel dotted on once in awhile. And we girls are nurturing by nature so this situation helps both sexes."

Catherine gave Sora a quick tour of Matt's home before running off to her daily routines. Sora walked slowly back up the stairs, using the main staircase, to Matt's room. She nervously touched his forehead, relieved he did not stir, feeling the warmth of a fever under her palm.

Catherine had shown her the bathroom before leaving and Sora was able to bring Matt a wet cloth for his head. She gently placed it on his forehead and this time he did open his eyes.

"Hi there." Sora whispered.

Matt continued to stare.

"Try and keep this on your head, it may help the fever." Sora explained. She was sure Matt already knew this, doubting very much that he has never been sick before, but she was not sure what to say.

"Thank you." Matt mumbled, closing his eyes once again.

The first few hours, Sora sat on the chair Matt had previously occupied, bored out of her mind. Although Matt did have television in his room, she was worried that it would wake him so she continued to sit and stare at the figure lying in bed. Admiring him from a distance. He stirred a few times, opening his eyes a bit making eye contact with her but he drowsed off once again with out word.

Later Sora took the opportunity to explore the aging home and the elegance that graced it. The rooms were large and each one felt warm and cozy. She could see how Catherine had fallen in love with the old house.

She strolled into what appeared to be a small library with a piano, dark furniture and draperies and a temporary solution to end her boredom. She picked a book from the shelf, an old mystery novel and found her way back to the master bedroom, with out the master. Placing the book on a side table in the room, Sora went in search of her patient.

"Matt?" She called out approaching the bathroom where she heard heaving. "Matt, are you okay?"

At hearing no answer, she knocked on the door before entering finding Matt bent over the toilet seat.

She walked to the sink with another washcloth and soaking it with cool water as he continued to empty his stomach.

"You should really go home." Matt mumbled once he felt he could speak. Holding his stomach and finding a seat on the floor next to the toilet he looked at the red head.

"I want to help." Sora bent down next to him and wiped the moisture off his face.

"You could catch whatever I have." Matt took the washcloth from her hand.

"Well I've been here for several hours so if I can catch it, then it is already too late. I mind as well stay."

Matt just grunted.

"Are you done?" Sora nodded to the toilet, which Matt eyed it with drowsiness. "Come on; let me help you back to bed." Sora held her hand out as though she would be able to support his weight. Never the less, Matt took her hand and let her lead him back to his bed where she helped him under the covers.

"Here, I made you some tea. It's still warm." Sora sat next to him with a cup she took from his nightstand.

Matt shook his head, "I don't want anything. Probably won't be able to keep it down."

"You need some fluids in you or you will just become worse off then you are already." Sora minded him. "Here, drink it while it's warm."

Matt sighed and sat up in bed, taken the cup from her hand.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Sora watched Matt shake his head once more.

As promised, Catherine stopped by to see how Matt was doing and to see if Sora had gotten further.

"Let me get this straight. I have been gone for half the day and the only thing you managed to do was put him to bed with out being in bed with him?" Catherine rolled her bright blue eyes.

"Catherine, he's sick." Sora reminded him.

"But still capable of you know…" Catherine sighed and reached into the brown bag she had carried with her. "Well I brought him stuff to help ease his stomach and some juice."

"He didn't drink much tea." Sora took the bottle of juice from her friend and went to the cupboard where she found the cups.

"I also purchased a thermometer so we can check his temperature." Catherine kept pulling things out of the bag as if there was no end. "And some candles so the light isn't too harsh on his eyes."

"He has dimmers on his light switch." Sora placed some ice in a cup and poured the juice over the cubes.

"Yes but they are not as romantic." Catherine rolled his eyes.

"Catherine, he's sick." Sora sighed.

"Yes, yes we have already been through that." Catherine turned to her friend. "So how is he doing?"

"I think better." Sora leaned against the counter. "I'm sure this is just a twenty-four hour bug. He just wants to sleep and let alone."

"But secretly he loves the idea of a beautiful girl willing to wait on him. Trust me, I know men." Catherine stated. "I think you should spend the night."

"No."

"He has a guest room."

"Out of the question. I will not spend a night in a stranger's home. Especially without permission."

"I'll stay too. That way you don't feel like you are intruding." Catherine took the juice from Sora's hand and proceeded up the stairs.

"Why don't you just stay?" Sora followed.

"Because…" Catherine entered Matt's room. "Darlin' you are up."

Matt turned from the television to as the girls entered his room.

"Are you feeling better?" Catherine cooed.

Matt nodded his head watching the blonde place a cup near the bed.

"I wanted to check your temperature." She produced a thermometer and slipped it into Matt's mouth with out protest. "Good boy." Catherine patted his head. "You feel cooler at least."

Matt turned back to the movie he was watching without a word. Catherine rolled her eyes and sat next to him, placing her head on his shoulder.

Matt looked down at his long time friend.

"Just waiting for the beep, dear." Catherine smiled brightly and on cue, the thermometer started to beep. "You're all done! Mild fever but nothing to worry about."

"You better drink some juice while you are feeling up to it." Sora picked up the cup and handed it too him.

"By the way I invited myself to spend the night." Catherine told the boy. "And since you would hate to see me die of boredom because of being too ill to entertain me, I also took the liberty of inviting Sora. I will spend the evening in my normal suite and I think I will place Sora across the hall from you. That way she is between the both of us. You know how confusing these old homes can be during the night."

She patted Matt's arm gently glad for once, he did not argue with her. Of course, it would not have done him any good since Catherine did as she pleased.

"You know what you need? A bath! That will help your soreness." Catherine turned to Sora, "Would be so kind as to drawl some bath water for Matt?"

"Yes Mistress." Sora teased, giving a slight bow.

"I need to make some phone calls." Catherine eyed Matt deviously. "You don't mind, do you lov?"

"You are setting me up, aren't you?" Matt whispered, keeping his eyes on the television.

Outside the bedroom, Sora stopped to listen to their private conversation.

"Maybe." Catherine shrugged. "Only because I care. Do not give me that look. Sora isn't like these other girls, Matt honey."

Sora heard Matt speak but unable to make out what he had said.

"You do find her attractive don't you?" Catherine asked. "Ah, was that a grin!"

"Yes she is very pretty." Matt took a deep breath.

"And…"

"Nice."

"Oh Matt she is more then nice and you know it!" Catherine ran her fingers through Matt's thick hair. "She has a warm and loving soul Matt. I think she would be prefect for you."

"She seems…"

"What?"

"Unsure of herself." Matt looked over at Catherine. "You know I enjoy the company of women who are confident."

"And she is, just not with you and might I add that not many people are. You are a very intimidating man." Catherine assured him. "This is new ground for her, Matt. I must say that she is completely head over heels with you. This is not about your status as a rock star either. She had no idea who you were!"

"She is intriguing." Matt mumbled. "And seems intelligent."

"Very intriguing and so intelligent she sometimes bores me. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. Reason she is here now." Catherine sighed, "But Matt she isn't looking for someone until Mr. Right comes calling. She is looking for long-term so if you are not ready…Well I do not want you to get her hopes up and string her along. Do you know I found her crying this afternoon? She thought you stood her up."

"I told her that I was ill." Matt stated.

"I know but the girl just doesn't understand how beautiful she really is and she felt for sure that Meghan, the blonde leach was far a better catch." Catherine smiled, "I suppose that look means you don't think Meghan can match Sora. Good."

Sora felt as though she was floating as she made her way to the bathroom. So Matt did find her attractive. Maybe there was some hope for her after all.

"Is that why you stopped by this afternoon? To see if I had tried to avoid Sora?" Matt asked.

"Partly." Catherine admitted, "And partly because I was concern. Hey, someone needs to watch over you. Your family never did do a good job in that area."

"Don't." Matt shook his head.

"Well it's true. You always had to look after yourself. I know your father loves you and he shows it by working his old ass off to give you everything he never had but honestly…"

"Catherine, please. Not tonight."

"Fine. I will say my lecture of your former childhood care for another conversation." Catherine stood up. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm here for you and if you give Sora a chance, you'll find a forever love in her."

Catherine closed Matt's door and leaned against the wooden frame with a cat like smile. She had seen Sora's shadow by the doorway and knew the girl had listened. Match making was so far very entertaining.

If she had not loved interior designing as much, she might have considered a new profession.

"Sora," Catherine peeked a head in the bathroom. "I must make a few telephone calls and I would like complete privacy as I do. Do you mind watching my friend for a few more hours? I would so much appreciate it."

"You are so full of it." Sora grinned at her friend who just shrugged her shoulders. "I know what you are up to Catherine."

"And yet you do not see any fault to my plan." Catherine winked. "Why don't you help the boy to his bath? Maybe place a robe and towels in the dryer for him. You now, pampering is a way to a man's heart."

"I thought it was food."

"Same thing. It is love of preparing the food or caring for the person. As long as they know you did something special for them. Men are selfish when it comes to attention."


	4. Chapter 4

"Okay, ready?" Sora asked her husband who sat on the bed.

"Ready." Matt nodded his forth nod in thirty minutes, yet his newly wed wife continue to make circles around the bed, to the bathroom, back to the suitcases, and around the bed again.

"Do I look alright?" Sora asked.

"Beautiful." Matt started to lie back on the bed with out looking at his wife.

"Don't! Sit up; you will get your clothes wrinkled." Sora pulled off her blouse and put another one on.

Matt sat back up.

"Did you comb your hair?" Sora asked.

"Yes." Matt brushed the top of his head.

"What time is it?" Sora place a small amount of gloss over her lips.

"Five-forty." Matt replied taken a glance at the clock on the wall.

"Oh god we are going to be late." Sora fumbled with her shirt once again. Leave it loose or tuck it in? Hmmm…., she turned to her husband. "Which way should I wear this…why are you laying down? I told you not to lay down, Matt." She turned towards the closet and plucked a blue casual shirt off the clothes hanger. "Put this one on."

"Sora.." Matt sat up.

"Matt." Sora placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. Matt stood up and took the shirt that dangled at her side.

"These are your parents. They changed your diaper. They have seen you at your worse and we are only going to have dinner with them in their home." Matt sulked. "But I have to keep changing shirts."

"Because you keep lying back down on the bed when I tell you not too. I don't want them to think that we had sex before visiting them!"

"Yes, that would be a sin. Husband and wife having sex, who ever heard of such nonsense?" Matt muttered.

"Are you mocking me?" Sora slammed her purse down.

"No. No, of course not." Matt took off a blue shirt for another slightly dark blue shirt which to him, seemed to have just as many wrinkles as the one he just took off.

Sora stood by the closest watching her husband for a moment before shaking her head. "Are you not even a little nervous about meeting my parents?"

"I was nervous. How could I not be when you kept reminding me how your parents are most likely plotting my death. I was up all night wondering if I would be poison or if they would just take the quick route and slit my throat. But today, since one o'clock, you have me repeatedly comb my hair and brush my teeth. I think my gums are sore, I'll add. You also had me change into three pairs of jeans, five shirts and switch my shoes twice. On top of that, you have been instructing me on what to say and what not to say, while warning me on what to anticipate. Now I find myself exhausted of being nervous, tired from changing shirts and I'm hungry." Matt held his stomach as if he was in pain, "I am really famished. Poison or not, I'll eat anything your mother places in front of me."

"You sound like a child." Sora raised her eyebrows.

"You don't love me like a child." Matt smirk, "In fact last night as I recall were rather overly excited for me to…"

"Unbelievable!" Sora twirled around to grab her purse. "Are you ready?"

"You are mad, aren't you?" Matt sighed.

"No."

"That's really a yes, isn't it?"

"Matt, we don't' have time to play your mind games. We are running late as it is." Sora glared at her husband.

"Mind games? Ha, when you do it, we call it asking questions but for me, it is mind games. " Matt grabbed the keys from the dressing stand and opened the door for her. "After you, lov."

Sora stormed through the open door and marched to the elevator.

"I can't believe we are fighting." Sora crossed her arms as she waited for the elevator.

Matt gave her one of his glares that never had an effect on her. "I need to check on Tk one more time."

As Matt went into another room down the corridor to check on his brother for the evening, Sora fumed staring at the elevator.

She did not mind bringing Tk along; in fact, she loved the idea. It was not hard to see why Matt cared so much about his younger brother. Tk was full of hope, cheer, and compassion. For one so young he was so in tuned with the people around him. Matt claimed Tk needed him but after she and Matt shared their childhood memories, Sora decided it was Matt who needed Tk. Maybe Tk knew that as well which would explain why he let Matt treat him so much like a child.

"We are not fighting. Not really." Matt came out of the room and walked towards her with his hands in his pockets. "We are just…a bit irritable with meeting your parents."

Sora glared.

"Okay maybe irritable wasn't the right word." Matt placed an arm around her waist. "If they hate me so bad then we will just stay in Paris and you can visit them by flight."

Sora sighed and leaned against Matt. "Do you think my parents will be understanding?"

"From the information you gave me?" Matt glanced down at her before he led her into the elevator. "Not a chance."

"Seriously." Sora pressed the ground floor button.

"I think that's a question only you can answer."

"Your family loves me." Sora blinked up to her husband.

"When it came down to me marrying, well they never really have high expectation for me." Matt sighed.

Sora jabbed him in the ribs. "Maybe I should have dinner with them alone."

"That's what I suggested in the first place. I thought I'd just hide in the hotel room." Matt kissed the top of her head. "Maybe have a brotherly bonding with Teeks.

"You mean to play some more video games until three in the morning?" Sora gave her husband a sly glance.

"Whatever form of connection I must tolerate to let my baby brother know that I care, will be a sacrifice that I must endure for my brother's best interest." Matt watch a small smile creep on Sora's lips as she gave him her famous 'not buying it' look. "I still hadn't beaten him and I was so close the last time."

"Don't worry, Sor. Tonight can't last forever." Matt added after a moment of silence settled between them. "Tomorrow has to come sometime."

Sora took the keys from his pocket and unlocked their rented car.

"Do you remember our first real fight?" Sora watched Matt as he pulled the passenger's seat backwards to give his legs more room.

"It wasn't all that long ago." Matt mumbled.

"Still touché?" Sora rolled her eyes.

"No." Matt answered. "Why should we dwell on it?"

In truth, he was still touché about the situation mostly because he let their fight go further then it needed. Realising that and understanding that he had to put his pride aside was a painful lesson….

She had been sleeping at his place for two months now, three month since he had been sick. Unknown to them, three months after this peculiar night they would be husband and wife. The relationship was moving faster then they both had wanted but they couldn't get enough of each other. They were always at each other, loving each other, having long midnight conversations, and being carefree with their love. This was a new path for both of them.

Everything was going so perfect until…

"What do you mean they are in the car?" Matt shivered as rain gushed down over them. He was shivering from cold and wet. She at least had a hood on her jacket where he had none. Water dripped from his hair and face, down his neck, and into the once warm shirt.

It wouldn't had been so bad if the rain wasn't a down pour and it wasn't the winter months and if she hadn't requested that he set his alarm system (ever since a crazed fan found her way into the house) and if she hadn't locked the keys in the car.

Sora threw up her arms. She could not have said it simpler. "I mean, I locked them in the car Matt."

Matt walked down his steps and pulled the handles of his mustang.

"I told you it's locked." Sora folded her arms to keep herself warm, which was not helping. Still her boyfriend kept checking all the doors. Sora stood and watched, shaking her head in disbelief. "Do you believe me now?"

Matt walked up to her, "Do you have your cell phone?"

"It's in the car with my purse." Sora glanced at the silver car.

Matt clenched is jaw.

"Where's yours?" Sora looked at him.

"I gave it to you and you put it inside your purse." Matt gave her a harsh look.

"Excuse me…" Sora turned away from him. "Well go ask a neighbour if you could use the phone."

"It's two in the morning, Sora. No one is awake." Matt growled.

"Knock loudly, Matt!" Sora yelled.

Matt turned and kicked his door.

"That really helped!" Sora pulled her hood tighter. "I'll go knock!"

"I told you not to forget the keys!" Matt closed his eyes, knowing those were the wrong words. If he had only let her walk away.

"And you told me to make sure I locked the car!" Sora her voice raised as she stomped down the sidewalk to the nearest neighbour. Matt was surprise her yelling had not woken anyone up by now. Even Cashmere, the old coonhound did not make a sound from inside his neighbour's home. It was not until the fourth house that she was able to wake someone up to use the telephone. Ten minutes later, she found herself walking back up to Matt who now sat on the step of his home.

She sat down beside him and nudged his arm with her own. He only glared at her.

"I'm sorry." Sora sighed. God, like he never done anything stupid in his life? "Did you hurt your foot when you kicked the door?"

Still silence.

"I called Catherine. She should be here in fifteen minutes."

Still, he said not a word.

"What? You're not talking to me?" Sora gave a grin out of frustration. "Matt, I'm sure you had done something like this before. People lock their keys in their cars all the time. That is the reason so many locksmiths know how to break into cars! If you think about it, it is somewhat amusing. They get to break into your vehicle and you pay to watch them do it."

Another glare.

"You are such a baby, you know that?" Sora stood up and walked to the curb so she could look for headlights. She glanced over after a few minutes to look at the boy in the rain staring down at the ground.

"Catherine's here." Sora called up to his house.

Matt didn't even glance up.

"I have the keys!" Catherine stepped out of her own car with an umbel lea. "The solution to your problem!"

A smile froze as she looked at the girl with smeared make-up and the boy up on the step. She opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. Turning to Matt's car, she unlocked his door and Sora ducked passed her to grab her purse and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

"I'm going home with you." Sora whispered in Catherine's ear.

"Oh. Okay." Catherine gave a nervous smile and walked up to her other friend. "Come on; let's get you two out of your wet cloths."

Matt stood up, followed her into the house, and sulked up the steps.

"I can not believe he is acting this way because I locked the keys in the car." Sora whipped around at the mutual friend.

"He'll get over it." Catherine waved at the problem, as it was no big deal.

"Do you know what he is doing?"

"Changing?"

"He's not speaking to me!" Sora pulled off her wet jacket and walked into the down stairs bathroom.

"Well sometimes that's better then saying something you can't take back, Sor." Catherine sat on the edge of Matt's sofa. She was torn. Both friends needed to rant and she did not know who to go to first.

"He's being a baby!"

"Yep." Oh, this relationship was going to give her a headache. "He's a man, what can I say?"

"I don't know if I can stay with a guy like that." Sora came out of the bathroom in different clothing.

"Oh pooh. Do not be like that. This will pass, Sora." Two painkillers are going to be needed for tonight. "Look, this is just an argument between you two. It shall pass."

"Until the next problem comes along." Sora hissed.

"Well he has his way of dealing with anger and you have your own way. Just let him sulk it out and then you can ramp him with a good lecture." Catherine smiled, she would had never guessed Sora to be one to yell so much.

"Over a locked door!" Sora crossed her arms and stared at the ceiling as she could see through the floor into Matt's bedroom.

"Honey," Catherine gave Sora a hug, "I think you also could take a few minutes to think about this..."

"He wouldn't even go to the neighbour's to call!" Sora pulled away, not caring if Matt could hear what she was saying from upstairs.

Catherine gave a deep sigh, she was not getting anywhere. "Well dear, you just get what you need and let me go calm the tiger."

"Even if you get through to him, I'm going home with you." Sora stated.

"You are always welcome at my home, Sor." Catherine slowly ascended the wooden staircase and walked down the dark hall. She found Matt sitting at the corner of his bed, already dressed in warm clothes.

"Hey there." Catherine put on her best smile. "You okay?" She sat down next to him, slipping an arm around his middle.

"I'm fine." Matt grumbled.

"Sure you are." Catherine leaned her body into his cold frame. "Boy, I'm starting to think the old saying about red heads is true."

She thumped her hand on her thigh as Matt ignored her. "She would like to come home with me."

"So let her." Matt shrugged Catherine away and stood up to place his wet clothes down the shoot.

"You don't mean that."

"Yes I do." Matt glared at the girl.

"Over car keys?"

"It's more…"

"Ah, I see. What then? She believes it is only because of a locked door. Don't you like her?"

"Well…yes of course I do."

"I don't see a problem." Catherine eyed him carefully as thoughts raced through her mind. "This is a kind of scary relationship for you. I mean, wow three months with the same girl. Record breaking, its no wonder you went out to celebrate."

"This thing," Matt stared at the open door. "This is going too fast, Catherine. I think that maybe I need to just step back and rethink."

"To think or to run?" Catherine stood up.

Matt shrugged, "Maybe to think to see if I have reason to run."

Catherine nodded her head. "You have my number."

"I've upset you." Matt stared down at the girl.

"Yeah, you both did. Look, you both are my friends and right now, I'm disappointed in the both of you. She claims you are acting like a child and you know what, I think you both are. Love is truly blind." Catherine placed a gentle hand on his arm. "Give me a call tomorrow or I'll call you to see how…well to make sure you are okay."

However, he did not call and he avoided Catherine's calls. He did this for two weeks. Scared that he would find that Sora hated him and never wanted to see him again or that she did not hate him.

He glanced around the large house and listened to its emptiness. He missed her and he was fooling himself. But what if they go on another month or two and things are different? If he does not leave her, how long would it be before she would leaves him? He could either swallow his pain now or die from it tomorrow.

Just thinking about her not at his side and being with other people…other men, wrench his stomach. He never let anyone get that close to him, he never let anyone affect him as much as she did. How was this mouse of a girl get past all his protective barriers? How was it so easy for her to slip into his heart?

"So what do I do now?" Matt stared down at his piano then at his bass at the other end of the room. They just sat in their silence unable to answer their master.

He shared his soul with those two instrumental pieces. He was able to pour his thoughts and feelings into music. Whether it was through the soft soothing grace of his beloved piano or the hum under his fingers tips from the familiar strings of his guitar, he was able to release those emotions that would surely have suffocated him.

Maybe Catherine was right and his parents messed him up pretty good. Sighing deeply Matt picked up the telephone and waited for his father's voice. "Hey dad."

"Matt. How are you, son?" Hiroaki voice lighten as he heard his oldest son's voice.

"I've been better. How about yourself?" Matt rubbed his eyes.

"Slowing down, much to your brother's demand. He keeps calling, did you know? Asking what time I get off work then telephones to see if I am actually at home or the office." His father sounded irate but Matt knew better.

Tk kept Matt and his father from destroying themselves. He was the heart of his brother and his father. While both older men were more comfortable in privacy with their emotions, Tk used his own feelings as a weapon by throwing his emotions and fears into their face. He showed no mercy. The innocent blue eyes, the carefully placed smile, the raise of the eyebrows at the right moment, Tk knew how to get what he wanted from his family. Lucky for them, he used it for good intentions.

"I um…I'm in need of some advise, Dad. I am in the middle of a… well a disagreement of sort with this girl I have been seeing. She locked the keys in the car and I made a fool of myself."

"And what kind of fool are we talking about?" Hiroaki voiced with concern.

"I haven't spoken to her for two weeks and I miss her." Matt slid to the floor. "I really miss her."

"Then I guess maybe you should be talking to her and not me."

"I know but what if she doesn't want to see me again?"

"Matt, are you in love?" Now his father really sounded amused.

Matt laughed at the thought but it slowly died away with realisation. "I…"

"Have you told her that you love her?"

"No." Matt whispered.

"Maybe it's about time you did." Hiroaki sounded weary, "Trust me on this Matt."

"But what if…" Matt turned his head up towards the ceiling.

"Matt?"

"It's just a word, Dad." Matt whispered. "You told mom so many times…"

"Yes it is only word and to some people that is all it will ever be, while to other's it not the word but the describable feeling that can only be simplified by that word. Your mother and I had more problems between us then what you remember, Matt. We loved each other and maybe there is still a small amount of that love between us." Hiroaki gently spoke. "Yet, there were unsolved problems before you were even born between your mother and me. Things we should had faced before it came back to haunt us."

"Like what?"

"None of your business." Hiroaki cleared his throat. "Matt, when I tell you that I love you, do you question it?"

"No…"

"Why?"

"You've always said that to me." Matt mumbled. "You brained washed me into believing it."

"Oh did I?" Hiroaki laughed. "If I known I had special powers like that I might have done something about you cleaning your room more often."

"I get what you're saying."

"Good. Matt, one more question."

"What?"

"When do I get to meet this special girl?"

"If she sees me again, soon. You'll love her. She's not only breathtaking but she's full of life and…"

"Love?"

"Yeah, love too." Matt grinned.


	5. Chapter 5

Sora was sure she had bored Matt as she drove through the familiar streets of her hometown.

"That is the field over there, it was the first time I was introduced to Tai." Sora pointed to a well cared for piece of grown, almost secluded by rows of heavy branched trees. "I've told you about Tai, right?"

Matt nodded and pulled his head against the back of the seat was Sora whipped her hand about to point out his window. "That's my old school. Oh, and over there is the Ice Cream Shoppe where when young children all my friends would meet inside for a scoop."

Sora turned down a street, pointing to homes where her friends lived, used to or maybe still lived. She also pointed out her mother's flower shop and her father's place of business.

"And lastly, this is my home." Sora pulled up to the curb and too a deep sigh. "Nothing changed. I expected change, not much but something different about my town. After almost two years away, I didn't expect to come home to normal."

"Two years really isn't a long time." Matt looked up at the house his wife grew up in. Her memories were all inside that home, like a box. "Sometimes things look the same on the outside. I'm sure you will find something that wasn't the same."

"When we visited your dad, did you feel that way? Being away in Paris for so long?" Sora picked Matt's hand up and held on to him. She was so nerves about having dinner with her parents.

"Sor," Matt looked down her hand, his finger rubbing her wedding ring. "You and I grew up in two different worlds. Home was never home for me. It was just a place I kept a bed and hung my coat for the night. When I needed Dad, I found him at his office and sometimes we would go out and have dinner together. But if I needed a place to run too, it was never home. You clearly adore your hometown and the people that live here."

"You will too, I promise." Sora leaned over the seat in order to give him a kiss.

Matt just nodded his head not really agreeing but not disagreeing with his wife. He pulled the handle of the door, "Well my dear, shall we?"

She led Matt up the stone stairs of her house with trembling legs and once she approached the door, she froze as a deer caught in headlights.

After a few seconds, Matt cleared his throat but his wife continued to stare at the door as she never saw one before.

"Sora?" Matt whispered looking down the street. "Do something."

"Do I knock or do I just walk in?" Sora turned to Matt and covered her mouth in astonishment. "I don't know what to do!"

"Then just knock to be safe."

"What do you do?"

"Um..well I just walk in at Dad's place but I knock at my Mother's. I also knock my grandparents; you never know what they are up too. At Nan's home I just walk in. Only because she would never hear the doorbell. Hmm…isn't that odd? I never realized it before but I walk into all of Dad's relations but knock at Mother's…"

"That is not helping me!" She turned back to the door that suddenly opened.

"You asked." Matt mumbled which received a death glare from Sora.

"Sora!" Her mother cried when she flung open the door and held out her arms for a daughter she had only seen for the holidays the past year and a half.

"Mom!" Sora hugged her mother tightly, both women having trouble keeping their tears from falling.

"I've missed you so much!" Her mother pulled her away to examine her. "You let your hair grow long and you are wearing a skirt! I could never get you to wear anything famine. Always jeans and hats."

"You must be Matt; we heard so little about you." Mr. Takenouchi spoke. His body languages were those of a dog ready to attack dangerous intruder.

"Yes sir. You must be Mr. Takenouchi" Matt put on his angelic smile and held out his hand.

Haruhiko stared at him for a moment but did shake his hand with a "Hmph."

"Sorry." Sora wiped her tears away. "Mom, Dad, this is Matt Ishida. Matt, honey this is my Mother, Toshiko and my father, Haruhiko. Remember I told you that Mother owns the Flower Shoppe I showed you down the street and Dad is a Professor at the local college."

"Pleasure." Matt nodded his head towards Sora's mom.

"Well come in." Her mother stepped away from the door and place a hand on the small of Sora's back. "You must be exhausted, dear. Here, why don't you sit down? Dinner is almost ready."

"I'm fine, Mother." Sora reached back and grabbed Matt's hand to lead him into the sitting room.

"Are you sure? Not filling sick are you?"

"No, I'm fine." Sora rolled her eyes behind her mother's back. She pulled Matt down with her on the sofa, her parents sat across from them. Staring at them.

"So how is everything with you two?" Sora smiled brightly.

"Good. Good." The mother nodded, looking over at her own husband who just grunted and repeated. "Good."

Sora nodded her head, "How is work?"

"The flower shop is blooming, as I always say." Her mother laughed at her own joke.

"That's good to hear, Mom." Sora watched her parents. They were so happy together. She silently hoped that down the road when she is their age, she and Matt would be just as happy. She turned a quick glance at her husband who was clearly focusing on the top of his shoes. His brown, scuffed shoes. She told him not to wear those shoes! Sora glanced up at her father who was very content on just deathly glaring at Matt.

The room filled with an awkward silence before Toshiko stood up and announce dinner should be ready. Sora expected that it was already done and served on the table but the family wanted to act as though they hadn't notice how late Sora was at arriving.

Upon reaching the dinner table, Sora took her normal seat and nodded to a chair across from her for Matt to seat down. Her father sat left, her mother right and Matt directly across from her.

"So you are a musician." Haruhiko sliced his meat with more force then needed. "Never thought Sora would marry a musician. She is not exactly talented in that field, you understand. Never showed an interest in music growing up. Poor child cannot even hum an audible tune. No, she likes sports. Do you enjoy sports?"

Matt just looked over at his wife with a glint of amusement. "Only as a fan, Sir."

"Musicians usually don't make good husbands or fathers, I've told. I watch these shows on what happen to musicians once fame has been sapped away, you understand. Most of them are alcoholics." Haruhiko eyed Matt's glass of wine his wife had poured. "Drinking at all hours, parties and drugs. Why I heard the musician's actually have to pay to perform." Her father went on.

"I make out very well sir." Matt felt Sora kick his leg gently under the table. He mentally noted to leave the glass of wine half full when departing.

"So, Sora briefly mentioned." Her father nodded his head.

"Wolves last record sold millions, Sir." Matt paid Sora back with his own kick.

"Wolves, what kind of name is that, anyways? It makes you sound…"

"Rowdy?" Matt cut in. "We were merely high school students when we came up with the name and when we quickly became successful well, we thought it was too late to change the name completely. Instead the group agreed to hack it down. Originally, the band was called Teenage Werewolves. Considering that, Wolves isn't all that terrible."

"And may I ask what will happen if your 'band' falls apart? I have seen television shows of bands in the past that broken away. Did you know that even the Beatles split up? Went their separate ways and they never been the same since."

"Yes, I've heard all about the break up among the The Beatles." Matt bit his tongue to say more. Really, all he could come up with was Beatles? Sora's dad needs to let go of the television and get out more. "As a band, we never expected to become so recognized and because of that, we each were ready to live different life styles after high school. In fact, most of us had some sense of course to go after high school. All but a few other members continued on with furthering our education even though our fame has surpassed our expectation."

"And have you …continued your education or are you one of the ones who remain in this comfortable state?"

"I am enjoying my riches. I will admit that I take advantage of my wealth and enjoy the finer things life has to offer. I am a very fortunate, I realise that but the Wolves worked hard for it, Sir. We put in a lot of time into our music. However my father insisted that I continued with a higher education and I took his sensible advice. I still continued with my studies in Biological Science, Physical Science, Mathematics and I received a Bachelor's degree in engineering. While in school, I enjoyed my studies in Chemistry, physics, and Calculus that I have thought about teaching in one of those subject or continuing with what science may have to offer. So, if my band should fall to pieces, I anticipate it will not, I will still be able to support your daughter in a more then comfortable life style while she continues her own career."

"And I love being married to someone with music talent, Daddy. I always admire someone who could play an instrument where you pointed out, I cannot." Sora gave Matt an admiring look. He impressed her father, proved that he was not some dumb blonde musician.

"Well…" Toshiko put one a smile and looked around the room. "When is your due date?"

"Due date?" Sora looked at her mother with confusion.

"That is why you rushed into getting married? Because of the baby?"

Matt choked and Sora opened her mouth only to shut it quickly. Is that what all her friend will be thinking? That she is pregnant!

"We're not having a child at this time, Mother." Sora cleared her throat. "Further down the road but this isn't the right time. With Matt's band and my designs are finally being recognized…"

* * *

Tk glanced up as he heard the sound of a jingle a key and lock could only make. He jumped from his sitting position in front of the television waited for Sora and Matt.

Sora came through the door first and as always, gave him a warm smile.

"I really like you, Sora." Tk gave her a goofy smile.

Sora titled her head and paused in her walk. "I really like you too, Tk."

"I'm very pleased my brother married you and somewhat shocked that you married him."

"What are you babbling about?" Matt walked in, shutting the door behind him.

"Tk was just saying that he liked me." Sora pushed off her shoes.

"Not like that." Tk shook his head and made a face. "I mean you are easy on the eyes and all but…not that way. That way is…you something like a sister now!"

Sora giggled, "I guess so."

"How was dinner?" Tk turned to his brother.

"I lived through it." Matt mumbled, sitting down on the bed but still keeping an eye on his brother. "Did you eat anything?"

"Roomservce!" Tk, who had returned his focus to the television, quickly turned to his brother. "I had room serve."

"Yes you ordered from Roomserves but what did you eat?" Matt asked, taken noticed to the empty food tray in his room.

"Um…hamburger and some kind of fish stuff. I don't know if it was fish but it tasted pretty fishy to me."

Matt nodded his head. "And you ate it in here."

"Didn't leave the building." Tk made a cross over his heart with his index finger.

"But you ate it in here." Matt pointed to the floor. "In our room, not in your room."

"Um…" Tk looked at the tray and back at his brother.

"Why is that?" Matt was now frowning at his brother.

Sora, who was picking up Matt's thrown about shirts which were the same one she had him change out of, glanced from her chore and looked over at Matt. She did not like his voice tone. It was not the usually way Matt spoke with his brother.

"There's a good reason." Tk pulled off a bright yellow hat he had been wearing. "It's a hassle to get room serve in my room because I'm register underage and the credit card is actually linked to this room. So if I order from this room, its automatically charged to your account. Otherwise, I would have to get approval from you to order a lousy hamburger with extra pickles. Since you were not here, how could I get your approval? Easy, by placing an order through your room!"

"I don't see a problem with that." Sora interrupted.

"It's not like I was snooping through your stuff or anything." Tk felt his cheeks flushed.

"Were you in my wife's underwear?" Matt could not help himself but Tk left that one open.

"No! God no!" Tk face turned beet red. He turned quickly to Sora. "No Sora. I would never..no! Gross! She's like…well she's my sister-in-law now!"

"I believe you." Sora glanced at her suitcase in the closet, exactly where she had left it this afternoon.

"Hmm…then what else have you been doing? What have you been doing that you don't want me to know about?" Matt mostly was speaking to himself.

"Nothing." Tk cleared his throat.

"How long have you been in here?" Matt asked eyeing a remote controller on his bed.

"Just long enough to eat and watch a few shows…" Tk frowned when Matt picked up the remote to the television. "I um…Ugh! It's not block and well…Listen….oh hell."

Matt pressed the back button on the remote and caught an eye full of some busty women that currently aired in the most exotic positions.

"You were watching porn?" Sora's eyes grew. "On our bed?"

"It's blocked from my room because of my age and…Clearly Matt never requested it to be blocked from his room!"

"I'm an adult, Tk." Matt sighed.

"When were you watching this stuff?" Sora placed her hands on her hips.

"I wasn't."

"Then why didn't you ask it to be blocked?" Sora started to tap a finger on her belt.

"I didn't think about it."

"But you thought about it for Tk? You could have just asked to have it blocked from both rooms."

"Yeah." Tk crossed his arms.

"Tk go to your room." Matt growled.

"You can't…"

"Tk, just go. Maybe you can think up some excuse for the alcohol I smell on your breath."

"Oh, you smell that?" Tk frowned.

"It's what tipped me off. I was just waiting for you to admit you were drinking in here. I didn't expect this though.." Matt held up the remote. "I was expecting something like Winnie the Pooh or some other cartoon not Exotic Beach Bunnies."

"How do you know the title if you never watched this stuff?" Sora asked.

Matt rubbed his head. "Tk go to your room."

"Fine but I won't be happy about it." Tk stumbled out the door.

"Come here." Matt beckoned his wife.

"I am not watching that with you. I admit that there are things we don't know about each other yet and I understand that men get off watching this stuff and so do some women but I…"

"Sor." Matt interrupted her rambling. "What I wanted to point out to you was that when changing channels, a title of the current show will display upon the screen. That is how I knew the title of the show."

"Oh." Sora could feel her own face burn and she was not even the one watching it. "So you never watched this stuff before?"

"Yes, I've watched it. I was a little younger then Tk when I used Dad's credit card to access the channel through our cable network. Later it was not uncommon for some guy to sneak it over and we would all make comments while we watched them. I can defiantly tell you that no one in these shows will ever get a Grammy but they truly do intrigue a young boy into a fantasy world."

"And now?" Sora walked over to her husband. "Do you watch them now?"

"Very rarely. I rarely watch television at all." Matt took her arm and pulled her the rest of the way towards him. He looked up at her and she down at him.

"So what are you going to do with Tk?" Sora slid a hand through Matt's hair.

"I have no idea." Matt smiled. "I'll let Dad deal with him, he can bitch him out over the phone."

Sora took the remote from Matt's hand and turned the television off.

* * *

Tk sat across from his brother with an astonish look on his face. "You want me to what?"

"Call Dad." Matt nodded to the telephone he had just recently given his brother.

"Why?"

"To tell him what you did." Matt leaned into his chair a little more, stretching his long legs out before him.

Tk shook his head. "I'm not telling dad anything."

"Yes, you are." Matt said in a soft tone. "You are going to call him up and tell him what you were watching and what you were indulging in while watching it."

"No way." Tk shook his head. "If you want him to know, you call him."

"I'm not ratting on you."

"So you want me to rat on myself?" Tk laughed in irony. "I don't think so."

"Why not? You banged yourself like a man, drink like a man, why not be a man and confess."

"Don't try and pull off that righteous act. You had done the same and worse." Tk tapped his tongue on the roof of his mouth. It felt thick and dry.

"I'm not saying I never did. In fact, the whole reason I do not believe you should sit through my sermon is because I thought the same thing. I've done just about the same, you are right. I highly doubt that our father was a saint at our age as well but still, he's our father and that earns the right to be hypocritical when it comes to us."

"Why could I call dad to tell him stuff I know he would ground me for? That doesn't make sense." Tk handed the telephone to his brother. "If you want him to know so badly, then you call."

"And say what? I don't even know why you were drinking."

"Tell him because I was bored." Tk shrugged.

"And watching porn?" Matt asked.

"Curiosity." Tk smiled. "Hard isn't it? Dad and Mom sees me as a child still. Its hard for them to look at me as a boy fast approaching adulthood. Its hard for you to face that too. Matt, if you tell them about tonight, you would be shattering this safe world they believe that had placed me. They would end up worrying over things they really don't need to worry about. They will realise that…"

"Their angelic baby boy is a normal, perverted, adolescent, male child who overly indulges in cheap wine?" Matt licked his bottom lip but dialled the number to his father.

"Wait! What are you doing!" Tk stood up. "You are actually going to call!"

"You told me too!" Matt glanced up at his brother.

"Yeah but only because I didn't think you would!" Tk's face suddenly went pale.

"Dad." Matt held up a hand. "Hey sorry to call so late. No everyone is fine. Dinner was good, Sora starved me before dinner… the atmospheres was not very pleasant. Hmmm…Dad the reason I called is because Tk. No, really.. he is fine. The thing is I do not believe our mother gave him the proper Mother and Son talk about sex…..Because I caught him watching porno and drinking wine. It was like he was having a one-night stand with the television set and we interrupted a very…er climaxing moment…. Yeah, he's right here."

Matt held the phone to his brother with an evil grin "Our father would like to speak with you."

"I hate you!" Tk hissed.

"Love you back." Matt stood up to leave Tk some privacy with their father. "Oh…expect a call from Mom."


	6. Chapter 6

_Sending out a thank you for those who read and those who reviewed after they read._

_This chapter was difficult and I'm not entirely happy with it. I know why, there are too many characters at the moment and it's hard to get that one on one contact. But I needed the characters to show how important friendship is to Sora and how much she enjoys her friends._

_Also near the end is a sexual scene so you are forwarned. I will place a warning closer. I didn't go into too much detail because I don't wish to offend anyone but I think there is enough to place a small warning. If you are interested in reading this chapter but not that scence, I think you will be safe and you should be able to see my warning. If you skip over the typing, you should also see where I place the same text sytle to inform you that it is over._

_Also Tk is a little out of character, I know but he's at that age between a child and an adult so if you think about it, the Tk we know and love is most likely out of that cute angel stage that we are fimilar with and moved onto the normal older teenager. But I am trying to keep him playful and always in good spirit (Which wasn't always so, remember out little tk has had dark moments)._

_For what it's worth I hope you find this chapter to be somewhat entertaining._

* * *

It is said that an average nourished human can survive a week with out food, sometimes more yet the sensation of hunger can occur after a couple of hours after eating a meal. Yet, Tai isn't the typical human, is he? 

"Must you drool at the table?" Mimi placed another covered dish on the picnic table.

"There isn't anywhere else to drool at." Tai whined and held his stomach as a loud growl echoed in his belly.

"That does look really good, Mimi." Davis took up a seat on the bench beside Tai.

"No." Mimi shook her curly, now honey brown hair.

"No what?" Davis looked confused or at least tried to pretend to look confused.

"No you can't have a taste." Mimi folded her arms in front of her and looked at the two boys who returned her stare with such a pity look, practically begging.

"This is for Sora and her husband." Mimi reminded them. "Once Sora arrives, we can eat but not a moment sooner."

"But we're hungry now." Tai whined.

"Didn't you eat breakfast?" Mimi asked.

"I tried but honey glazed tofu swimming in goat's milk just didn't settle right." Tai frowned and shivered as he remembered his mother placing her latest concoction on the table that morning.

"Dude, that's gross." Davis pulled a face.

Tai looked at the younger boy for quite sometimes before he said with a straight face, "I am never inviting you over for dinner. Insulting my mother's cooking, have you no manners?"

"If it gets me out of eating at your place, no." Davis reached out to take a swipe of icing from the cake but before he could reach his goal, Mimi whipped out a thin stick and flogged the back of his hand.

"Ow!" Davis pulled his injured hand back, holding it bent forward as though it was broken.

"What part of 'no' don't you understand?" Mimi waved the stick in front of the boys' nose. "Everything on this table is off limits until Sora arrives! If I find one finger print in the icing, one chicken leg missing from the plate, one hamburger or hot dog missing from the grill, I'm coming after the both of you."

"But wha…" Davis had started but Mimi was not through with them.

"I don't care if you two took anything or if it was Joe, I will come after the both of you and mark my words, you will regret that you let anyone take a morsel off this table. I spent a week, a whole bloody week planning this meal and I will not let either of you ruin it. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am." Davis and Tai both tipped their chins down.

"Good." Mimi quickly replaced her scornful look with her normal, cheerful happy face. "I am just so thrilled that Sora came back home!"

"She'll just leave again and you will just cry again." Tai sighed heavily, "And I'll have to say good-bye all over again."

"Pooh, you make it all so depressing." Mimi pouted.

"Because it is. Remember when she told us about the move? She told us three weeks in advance and we…"

"Had the best three weeks ever!" Mimi reminded him.

"I hated those three weeks." Tai mumbled.

"Mmm…apples." Davis stared at the fruit nicely arranged in a colourful bowl. "Everything started with an apple…damn, I could eat one."

* * *

"Are we there yet?" Tk bounced between the two front seats, startling Sora. 

"No." Sora grinned in spite of herself. "But we are almost there."

"I can smell the water. Hey Matt, can you smell the water? Huh?" Tk settled back into the seat of the car and glanced at his brother who was caught up in a magazine article. "Matt? Hey…Not reading about yourself again, are you bro? Remember what dad said about your last ego trip."

"Shut-up." Matt shot back with out thought.

He hated to be reminded of that era in his life when fame finally hit him hard. It was true; there was a time when he was completely caught up in himself and let his status get the better of him, turning him into an arrogant jerk.

His father quickly set him straight when he announced at his Television Station that his son was visiting a local orphanage and a children's hospital. It was not in Matt's plan, in fact he argued with his father the next day about the shocking announcement, accusing his father of using his fame to up the ratings of his television station.

Matt was not seeing clearly and quickly learnt the lesson his father gave him. If he did not announce on television, Matt would had never gone through with it. His father slapped him with the cruel facts of life and hearing the stories of the children in that kind of situation turned him around. His father got to him before he could become his own downfall and he was forever grateful for his father's wisdom.

Since then, he found himself doing charity events but not only for children but for his secret soft spot for the homeless animals as well. Once Sora had found out about all his side work, her attitude from their first and last break up changed her opinion of him completely. He was not just a rock star; he was now a man with compassion.

"I always loved driving down this road." Sora remarked to the two males. "Especially during spring when everything was full of blossoms."

"Yeah, that's great Sora." Tk yawned and tried to stretch in the back seat but space was limited for his growing limps. "But how much longer? My legs are cramping up and I'm hungry."

"You two are always hungry." Sora rolled her eyes.

"Because you never let us eat when you make these arrangements." Matt muttered from the passenger seat.

"If I let you eat then you wouldn't be hungry when you are supposed to be." Sora said matter-of-factly.

"Hey, I see water!" Tk pointed out his window at the large lake below the hill the car was rolling down.

"You said you love camping." Sora pushed the magazine away from her husband.

"I do." Matt pulled the magazine back up. "I just don't like to be starved and I don't like to get up at three in the morning. I go to bed at three."

"Boats! Matt we can go on a boat, right?" Tk was back in between the two front seats. "They don't appear to be speed boats but still…"

"I think they are privately owned." Matt glanced out his window.

"Joe has one," Sora slid in to the conversation. "Remember me mentioning Joe?"

"Yeah." Both boys said at once.

"And Tai and Izzy and Mimi and Davis and Kari and Yolei and…." Tk started.

"Okay, okay." Sora held up a hand to stop him. "So I mentioned them a few times."

Matt snorted in his seat.

"Okay a little more then a few." Sora pulled into the rock covered driveway.

"That's where we are staying?" Tk pointed to a large cabin. "I thought we were camping, not staying at a lodge."

"We are. This is our way of camping." Sora smiled then frowned when the brothers' exchanged looks. "What?"

"Nothing." Matt opened his door and slid out.

"This isn't camping, Sor. This is a vacation in the mountains." Tk sighed. "I thought I would be pissing on trees…"

"Well you still can!" Sora climbed out of the car. "Just let me know which one so I don't go near it. I'm sure there is some kind of sanitation rules though."

* * *

"Finally she's here!" Davis started for the first piece of meat on the table. 

"Dude!" Tai, who also reached for the same leg of chicken, pushed Davis' arm away.

"What?" Davis pushed back. "I saw it first!"

"I did!"

"Gentlemen and I am using that term loosely, there are plenty of chicken legs to go around." Mimi placed a hand on her hip, "and who ever wins your little truffle over my food will be the first to excuse himself from the table with out any food what-so-ever. We shall act civilized, even though we clearly are far from any kind of normal civilization, and we will greet Sora and her husband with the manners your mother invoked you with."

"Hi!" Sora passed Matt and Tk with open arms towards her unexpected target.

"Sora!" Joe wrapped his arms around her waist, gently pushing her off the ground as she clung to his neck. "How have you been? Gosh look at you!" Joe pulled away admiring the new Sora. "You look…more beautiful then I remember!"

"Sora!" Izzy smiled as he pulled Sora out of Joe's arms and into his own. "Did you run into any problems on your way home?"

"No, none." Sora wiped her tears away. "I missed you two so much!"

Matt and Tk stood back a distance letting Sora be engulfed in embraces from her friends. Tk stood with a huge grin on his face as he watched his new sister-in-law laugh and cry with her well-loved friends. Matt stood scowling, wondering why so many men are hugging his wife.

"Hey I know who you are! You're name is Matt!" A young girl came up to the taller blonde. "I have all of your cd's! I am totally a huge fan of yours! I especially love the poster of the Wolves with out their shirts on! I have it hanging on my closet door! Can you come over and sign it? Well if my dad will let you into my bedroom, that is. He has some funny rules about strangers in my room. I cannot believe my friend married you! Not that I'm not happy! I mean I would had married you on the spot too…well if you asked me and not her but for her to marry someone like you is so not normal for her. Not that you are a bad person, I did not mean that when I said 'someone like you' I just meant that she is not the type to marry famous people. Now that I think about it, none of us is since we really do not know any famous people. Well now we know you so…."

"Hi, I'm Tk." Matt's brother held out his hand stopping the girl from any more speeches. "And you are?"

"Oh Hi! You must be Matt's brother! I'm Yoleie." The girl took Tk's hand and began to shake it repeatedly. Tk held on to his hat so it wouldn't fall of the top of his head and Matt looked at the girl as she was a strange new species, "I read in Bop that he had a brother he called TK and said he looked just like him. You do, you know? Look like him but at the same time you look different but if you didn't then you would be twins, right? That would be so weird for him to have a twin. Do you play music as well? If I recall you, play basketball, right? I love watching basketball! It is almost my favourite sport! All of my other friends are mostly into soccer so naturally that is the game I prefer, having to watch it while they are playing. Then I have a few brothers who want to join a team…"

"Hello." A honey brown hair girl swung her hips into their conversation. "My name is Mimi and I hope Yolei introduced herself." Mimi placed her well-manicured fingers on her friend's shoulder in order to hold the girl still. "Yolei honey, let go of the boy's hand. Good girl! Yolei is um…well bombarded with little siblings so she's use to talk a lot and fast to get it all in before they interrupt her."

"Hi." Tk grinned. "I'm Tk but you can call me Teeks or whatever…."

Matt gave his brother a downcast stare, recognising Tk's mischievous grin before turning his attention to the beautiful girl in front of them. "Hello. Sora mentioned your name a lot."

"Not mine?" Yolei pouted.

"No, she mentioned you name as well. She said you were brilliant." Matt assured the girl.

"Guys don't go for brilliant girls," Yolei stared at the drooling young blond intrigued with Mimi. "They go for girls like Mimi."

"Not me." Matt glanced at his wife. "I fell for Sora because of her ingenious ideas."

"You did?" Yolei's eyes light up.

"I'm not sure, but I think I am being insulted." Mimi folded her arms in front of her and with out knowing, she made the swells of her breast rise a little higher causing an awful affect on Tk's breathing.

"Are you okay?" Yolei looked at Tk carefully. "You look a bit flushed. Maybe I should show you to the cabin. It's air conditioned if the heat is too much for you."

"No, that won't be necessary." Matt wrapped an arm tightly around the back of his brother's neck. "He just needs some open air. It's been a long drive here."

"True." Yolei sighed.

"Maybe a drink will help." Mimi gave the younger boy a gentle smile before walking towards the table with Yolei next to her.

Tk looked up at his brother then at the backside of Mimi with his mouth drooping open.

Matt cleared his throat and pushed his brother forward, "Come one before people start thinking you are strange."

* * *

They sat down at the table, Matt and Sora being separated by friends and Tk was able to some how find a tight squeezed in space to sit beside Mimi. 

Matt had taken up a seat beside his brother, to try to control him and the young red haired boy who, upon finding that Matt held more intelligence then most of his friends, started off by discussing his latest break through on the computer world. The discussion lead to Matt's music and how it would help when recording a record then it lead astray, by Davis, to Izzy's video games. Matt had been shocked that Izzy could produce such programs and as Izzy tried to explain how he did so, Davis would counter act about how awesome the games were and even demonstrated a character firing off a weapon. Matt was enjoying himself until he glanced at his wife and saw the brown bushy hair boy lean into her and whispers something in her ear. Sora beamed a smile as the boy continues to speak and she laid a hand over his chest and titled her head back in a loud laughter.

Tai smiled down at her, enjoying his friend near his side. Reaching over towards his cup that Kari tipped over, Tai caught sight of Matt. He gave a friendly small smile, even though he knew the blond may be capable of killing a person with his death stare, and glanced at the water Kari was soaking up with a napkin.

"I didn't think your husband was the jealous sort." Tai said in a low voice, keeping a smile on his face.

Sora, who was talking and laughing with Kari about the spilled water, glanced over at her husband. "He's not."

"I think you might be wrong." Tai took some more napkins from his sister and Joe scooped up the rolls before they could saturate the water.

"He's never been jealous of me and other people. I think I'm the jealous one in our relationship." Sora tipped her chin with her finger.

Matt had turned his attention back to Izzy but Sora could not help shake the feeling that maybe there was a small chance Tai was right. Maybe Matt was a little insecure and why not? He does not know any of these people. She's been dragging him all over her past. While his family was small and quiet, her family extended out to her many friends and were a bit loud. Sora grinned mischievously and winked when Matt looked back at her. He returned a confused look before Davis grabbed his attention by hopping around like a rabbit. Sora took a bit of her sandwich, she would need to remind Matt where he stood in her life.

The group ventured down by the lake, which much of the party thought the water was too cold for the time of day.

"Tomorrow's forecasts will be excellent for swimming." Joe advised the group.

"I'm going now." Tai declared, tearing off his shirt and jumping of the dock and into the glassy surface. He bopped from the water's surface a few seconds later with a loud whopping sound.

"I'm so in there!" Davis, forever in the shadow of his idol, jumped in after him.

"If Tai jumped in a lion's mouth, Davis would be only a few second's behind him." Kari sighed watching Davis and her brother duck each other heads under the water.

"How cold is it?" Mimi yelled pulling at the bottom of her shirt and slipping off her shoes. Tk held his breath.

"It's lovely!" Davis yelled out. "Come one in!"

"What do you guys think? Do you think they are telling the truth?" Mimi glanced at the others.

"I say go for it." Tk slurred the Mimi's smooth belly peeking out form the edge of her shirt. He could even see a hint of bikini string dangling down her back. Matt had told him one time that in most cases if the top has a string there was a good chance the bottom of the bikini was held together by strings.

Matt smacked his brother in the back of the head and gave Sora a shrugged to say he could not control his brother's hormones any more then his brother could.

"We can play volleyball." Izzy held a ball in the air.

"Tai!" Davis pointed from the water to where Izzy stood. "They took out the ball!"

"Game time!" Tai grinned, "Race you back!" Tai ducked under the water with powerful strokes managed to beat the younger boy to the edge of the dock he jumped off. He pulled himself out of the water with ease and watched as Davis splashed himself out of the water only a few seconds behind him.

Matt clenched his jaw as he watched Sora smile down at the dock.

"Whose captain and which side are we on?" Davis asked as he reached the group.

"Was the water cold?" Mimi asked.

"You tell me?" Tai bent his head down and shook the water out of his hair, splashing it all over the girl.

"Stop!" Mimi squealed, dropping the ball and racing behind Joe for cover.

"Let's not have any captains." Izzy proposed.

"You gotta have a captain." Davis smirked in disbelief.

"No." Izzy picked the ball up. "Just pick a side and we'll even it out as we go."

"But…." Davis stood confused, watching some of the group eagerly jump on the side of the net they were playing on while others slowly walked to their side, unsure if they even wanted to play.

The game went pretty well, except for Tk who kept being hit on top of the head and once in the face. The others had assumed him to be a bit clumsy yet Matt knew it was because Mimi kept jumping in front of his brother. He could not wait until Tk grew out of this stage.

Tai went down once due to the ball flying low and backwards by his own team member. Yolei repeatedly said she was sorry and tried to push ice on the injury but Tai kept moving her hand away from his crutch and the other boys stood silently, a sympatric look etched on their faces for a fallen man.

* * *

Tai and Davis volunteered on Mimi's behalf to carry in the trio's suitcases, which they did not mind until they saw the entire luggage. 

"What the hell…" Davis frowned staring at the trunk of the car. "How did they get it all in here?"

Tai groaned and heaved a baggage out of the trunk, "Let's just get this over with."

"Relax," Matt spoke as he and Tk bent into the trunk to relieve some of the burden. "You don't have to carry it all in."

"Why'd you bring so much?" Davis asked watching Matt pull out a guitar case carefully.

"Because we are currently homeless." Tk told him. "Since this is supposed to be a whole weekend at the lake, it wouldn't make much sense to continue to pay for a hotel room when we wouldn't be there."

"Oh." Davis exchanged a look with Tai. "I didn't think of that."

"Some of the stuff can stay in here." Matt spoke in a low tune before turning away from the car to carry the lugged inside the cabin.

"I think your brother hates me." Tai muttered to Tk.

"There is a possibility." Tk grinned and took a bag off Davis' shoulder.

"You don't have to be so happy about it!" Tai stared at the blonde-haired person.

"Was I smiling?" Tk blinked. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure you two will make peace or whatever."

"Or whatever?" Tai glared at the younger boy. "What's his problem anyhow?"

"He doesn't have one." Tk glared.

"Then why does he hate me?" Tai asked.

"Yeah, no one hates Tai. He's like the coolest person ever." Davis popped in.

"I don't think he hates you. He doesn't know you and…" Tk shrugged, "Matt's just that way. I think you're just reading him wrong."

* * *

Sora watched as Matt dropped their bags on the floor near the closet of the lodge her friends had prerented, Tai followed behind him, leaving the luggage, which he had carried in, beside the ones Matt placed on the floor. 

"You two okay for tonight?" Tai asked, avoiding Sora's eyes. He was not doing it for Matt's benefited but for his own. She was sitting on the bed and he knew Matt would be joining her soon. Sora was like a sister to him, a little more maybe and he hated the thought of her in bed with him. Not just him but with anyone. It was wrong, normal but something, which he did not want to think about.

"Fine, thank you Tai." Sora stood up from the bed and gave Tai a kiss on the cheek. "I'm so glad to be home. I really miss you guys."

"We've missed you too." Tai grinned down at her. "If you two aren't tired you can come down stairs. Most of us will be up. Izzy brought his games…"

Sora glanced at Matt who took a seat on a chair at the corner of the room. "Maybe in a little bit." Sora turned back to Tai.

"Okay." Tai nodded and shut the door quietly behind him.

"You know…" Sora slowly walked towards Matt, "They think you are the jealous type."

"I'm not." Matt watched his wife as she swayed her hips.

"That's good." Sora straddled Matt's lap. She slowly bent her head down to his lips, barely touching him. "Because I couldn't think of any reason why you would need to be jealous." She gave a gently tug on Matt's bottom lip. "After all, I married you."

He could feel her warm breath as she moved towards his neck, nipping the flesh under his ear. She moved her hips closer to him while her hands slid down his chest.

* * *

**SEX SCENE YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED**

* * *

Matt reached out to clamp his hands over her hips as she started to rotate them against him but she quickly pushed his hands away. "No touching." Sora smiled wickedly at him as she continued her lap dance. She slid her hands up his arms, feeling his muscles twitch under her fingertips. She continued her journey over his biceps, around his shoulders and back down to the button on his shirt. Carefully and very slowly, she began to unbutton the shirt, one button at a time. "You know, all day the only thing I could think of was getting you in bed." She purred. 

Matt watched her fingers slowly slip a button through the hole of the shirt. "Need a bit of help?"

"No." Sora smiled, "I want to take my time. If I wanted to rush I would had just torn your shirt open. But there isn't any reason to ruin a perfectly good shirt, is there?"

Matt groaned as she leaned against him to capture his mouth with her own. Her covered breast pressed against his now bare chest and she rubbed against his hardness. "God I want you." Sora whispered, sliding her hand over the zipper of his jeans. She slid the zipper open and slithered her hand under his boxers, grabbing him and sucking the breath from his lips.

Sora loved the control she had over him at the moment. She looked at him seductively through her long lashes, loving the colour of his eyes as they deepened with the mounting pleasure she preformed on him. She started slowly to work her hand along his shaft and gradually quicken the speed, gliding over him faster while pressing her body into him.

"Sora…" Matt curved his hands around her buttocks while standing up in order to keep her press tightly against him. She slipped her hands behind his neck, kissing any part of his flesh that was visible to her.

He laid her on the bed, the urge to devour her building inside of him. She pulled away from his grasp and slowly detangled herself from her clothes, letting each item fall slowly to the floor.

Reaching out, she tugged Matt towards her by the waste band of his jeans. In return, he cupped her breast in one hand and bent his head to suckle the other while she pushed the jeans off his hips. He pushed her back against the mattress, her legs automatically sliding against him.

"Hurry." Sora whimpered.

"God Sora." Matt growled as he postioned himself above her.

She thrust her hips upwards to meet him, feeling his aroused organ between her thighs. "Please...I need you!"

* * *

**SEX SCENE OVER YOU MAY OPEN YOUR EYES NOW**

* * *

"Oh man!" Davis looks up at the ceiling has he heard the bed move upstairs. "It's not even dark out!" 

"There not doing anything." Tai took a drink from the cooler. "I just left them less then a half an hour ago."

More thumping.

"I think Davis is right." Izzy moved towards the television to help block out the sound from above.

Tk felt his cheeks grow red and tried to hide in the overstuffed chair he sat on.

"Well we know why she is so cheerful." Mimi hummed, her eyes sparkling.

"I bet it's over in thirty minutes." Joe said from a spot on the floor near the television.

"I give them twenty." Izzy grinned, "They played hard at volley ball."

"What?" Mimi glared at the two boys.

"Nah, this usually goes on for fifty two minutes." Tk remarked. "My room at his home is just down the hall. It's an old house and things echo, so I was able time them. How much are we betting?"

"Twenty?" Izzy asked. "Sounds reseasonbile, right?"

"I'm in." Joe took out a twenty-dollar bill from his beaten up wallet.

"I say forty-five minutes!" Davis slammed down a twenty-dollar bill.

"I don't believe this!" Mimi's mouth dropped.

"We are rounding off numbers right? Who ever comes closer? I don't want to loose because they went forty-three and a half minutes." Davis sighed.

"Yeah, we'll round it off." Izzy watched Tk dropped two tens on the tabletop.

"I say…" Kari took a twenty out of her purse.

"You say nothing because you don't know what they are betting on!" Tai pointed a finger at her.

"Yes I do…"

"Then pretend you don't!" Tai growled.

"I'm putting a stop to this!" Mimi started for the stairs. "You have no right to bet against their sexual…pleasures!"

"If she stops them, I win at twenty minutes." Izzy informed the group.

"Mimi wait!" Joe quickly stood up. "What are you going to do? Pound on the door and tell them we hear them having sex? Do you know how uncomfortable that will make them? Think of Sora? What if you were her and someone said that to you?"

Mimi took a deep breath and looked up at the stairs. "If I were her?"

"Yeah? You wouldn't want someone telling you that, would you?" Joe gently touched her arm, coaxing her down the steps.

"No. I'd tell them to leave me alone, if I were in her place this very moment." Mimi watched a blush creep up on Joe's cheek.

"Yeah, you guys need to check out my poster. With out a shirt…" Yolei started to fan herself.

"That is a really good poster." Kari grinned.

"You girls are sick!" Tai hissed.

"Us? You're betting on your friend and her….sex time!" Mimi interrupted.

"I haven't made a bet yet." Tai reminded her.

"Ah-ha! Yet! You said 'yet' meaning you were going to do so!" Mimi glared her Tai.


	7. Chapter 7

Sorry this part is so short. I want to get to the next stage but I want to do it smoothly. I'm not there yet but this chapter is just to keep the story going.

* * *

"This is really great Tai!" Davis, who showed his multi tasking skills by slurping up noodles with while still able to communicate, praised Tai's cooking ability. "Seriously this is totally awesome!"

Matt held up a black and yellowish noodle for closer inspection.

"Are you eating what I'm eating?" Tk leaned over to stare at Davis' food and after verifying that they were sharing the same meal, turned back to his own plate with a horrid expression.

"Um…" Joe swallowed forcefully, "It's really…."

"Unique flavouring," Izzy helped the older boy out. "What kind is it again?"

Tai looked at the faces of friends that joined him for dinner. He was completely stunned, how could they not know what they were eating! "It's mac and cheese."

Davis looked down at his food with a slight frown, "It is?"

"Yeah." Tai smartly replied.

"Well it's great!" Davis continues to eat. "Whatever you done to it, you could never tell it was mac and cheese. Great Tai. Really great!"

"What did you do to it?" Mimi asked as she poked a noodle on her plate with the tip of her fork.

"What didn't you do to it?" Sora asked.

"I followed the directions on the back of the box!" Tai shovelled noodles in his mouth and started to crunch down onto the morsels with is teeth.

"Well…something went wrong." Joe sighed.

"I'm no longer hungry." Yolei pushed her plate aside.

Tai continue to crunch down on his noodles and felt somewhat relieved that the noodles did break up into small fragments, small enough to swallow but there was that small concern of if his. Should he really swallow the bits?

He did follow the directions on the box and still he was able to produce a somewhat tar like noodle with a faint taste of black liquorish. He turned his eyes to his little minion and watched as Davis happily chewed down his food and swallowed.

"How can you eat that?" Izzy asked as if he was reading Tai's mind.

Matt pushed his plate away and looked down at his wife. "Do you want some of mine?"

"No!" Sora glared at him.

"Tai I thought you took cooking classes." Joe remarked as he too followed suite and pushed his dinner plate away.

"I did." Tai finally find the courage to swallow his food.

"It wasn't fruitful?" Izzy asked.

"Oh it was very rewarding." Tai grinned sheepishly. "Four dates later she taught me a bedroom skill I will never forget."

Mimi raised her eyebrows. "Too much information."

"So gross." Kari shook her head.

Joe and Izzy smiled in amusement while Davis looked on with admiration.

Tai was about to liberate on his story when he caught the site of his sister. "You didn't hear that!"

Kari rolled her eyes. "God Tai, you are an adult now. I know you have sex."

"Well pretend you don't!" Tai glared at her.

"Tai, I'm practically an adult." Kari glares back.

"Practically doesn't mean you are one." Tai reminded her.

"At least you didn't hear him have sex." Tk mumbled and only a few who surrendered him were able to hear his slight remark.

One of those people was Davis who ended up choking on Tai's mac and cheese tar blend known as dinner. Davis always tried to look on the bright side of things and Tai's meal was no different. Tai was a bad cook, so he lied when he told Tai that the food was great, but it was only to protect his idol from disappointment. After all, it was the group as a whole who stated that everyone had to have a turn at fixing dinner. So it happen that this night was Tai's night and even though he protested that he could not cook, it was still demanded that Tai did cook.

"Davis are you okay!" Joe pulled away from the table to check to make sure Davis was not in danger.

"No…" Davis gasped, "I'm choking!" Couldn't it be more obvious, Davis thought?

The small group stood around Davis as he battled with the noodle stuck in his throat. Joe was not concerned yet, Davis was still able to breathe and talk so he just had to either cough the noodle down or out.

Matt slipped his hand comfortably around the back of his brother's skinny neck. You see, Matt was another person who heard Tk's small comment.

* * *

"They heard us!" In there room, Sora stood wide-eyed in front of her husband.

"It seems you are slightly noisier then I thought." Matt nodded his head.

"Me?" Sora pointed at herself.

"Yeah but hey, I'm really good and you were only vocalizing your pleasure…" Matt grinned.

"Me!" Sora pulled a pillow off the bed and started slapping Matt with it. "As I recall Mr. Ishida you are quite as vocal!"

Matt laughed, holding up his hands to protect his face from his wife's pillow assault. "If it makes you feel better, they heard the bed mostly. We have a very squeaky bed!" Matt ducked at another air assault, the pillow missing him only inches. Matt reached out and grabbed his wife by the waist and finally tackled the pillow away from Sora and pinned her down on the floor of their room; felt her hand slipped behind his neck as he leaned in for a kiss.

* * *

"Not again…" Davis hoarsely muttered his throat a little soar from the earlier near death experience.

"That doesn't sound like sex." Joe looked up at the ceiling. "Sounds like laughing and jumping around."

"Bad image go away…" Tk repeated holding his hands over his eyes if they were ready to pop out of their sockets.

"Do people laugh when they have sex?" Yolei asked.

"Sometimes." Mimi replied, engrossed in her novel.

* * *

Sora smiled as he pulled back from their kiss. Matt looked down at her, thinking she could not look more lovely as she did this very moment. The moon shining fully upon her enhanced her perfections. Her red hair lay spayed out on the floor, her eyes sparkled with desire, her lips slightly swallow from his kisses and her chest heaved from their moment of play. Matt leaned down for another kiss, his hand slowly lifting the edge of her shirt, sliding his hand against her skin.

"No." Sora gently pushed his hand away as he moved upward towards her breast.

"No?" Matt backed his head away from her own.

"No." Sora repeated.

Matt leaned in for another kiss, his hand following the same course.

"Matt." Sora pushed his hand away again. "We can't."

"Sure we can." Matt pressed his weight on top of her and smiled as she groaned. He kissed the base of her throat as he hand once again explored his favourite playground.

"Matt." Sora groaned finally wiggling out from under him.

"Sora." Matt sat up on the floor watching as Sora stood up and walked a safe distance from where he sat.

"We can't." Sora sighed, "They can hear us."

Matt stared stupidly at her.

"They heard us last night." Sora reminded him.

"Yes." Matt looked down at the floor, "But we can do it here. I can take the mattress off the bed…"

"You said it was more then the bed creaking." Sora reminded him.

"We'll do bondage. I'll gag your mouth…"

"It's not funny Matt." Sora rolled her eyes.

"It's my fantasy." Matt looked hurtful.

"I thought you're fantasy was a naught nurse."

"That too." Matt thought for a moment.

"I'm not having sex here." Sora sat on the bed. "Not with them in the house. I can't face them knowing they heard us."

"Do you want me to ask them to step out for a moment?" Matt asked, finding a seat next to her. Sora elbowed him, looking unamused. "Sor, we are adults. Married adults. They know we have sex. It's a given."

"But they don't know when, where, how long and what we do while we are doing it." Sora reminded him.

"Well apparently they know we like to do it mid-afternoon and evenings, and morning…but that's just you since I'm not really awake. They know we do it on a bed and …oh yeah in this room and they can tell from our voices that we really enjoy what we do to each other." Matt rubbed her back. "So…what's to hide?"

"Matt," Sora shrugged him away.

They sat silently beside each other for a few moments, Sora lost in her thoughts and Matt in his own that was not even close to each other's thoughts.

"We could do it outdoors." Matt smiled, "I can be the big bad wolf and you can play Little Red Riding Hood."

Sora smiled but shook her head. "We have neighbours."

"It's our honeymoon, Sora. People have sex on their honeymoons. People do not bring people on their honeymoons but we let that slide. I'm not willing to do this no sex on honeymoon thing."

"Here's the thing Matt. You don't really have much a choice since I'm not making love to you." Sora glared at him. "I can't have sex if I know they can hear us. My mind would be a drift."

"I don't want your mind tonight, just your body." Matt joked but Sora did not find it amusing.

"I can't believe you." Sora glared. "I'm serious, Matt and you are acting like a total jerk."

"And you are being unreasonable. They knew we had sex last night but none of them seemed to really care today, did they?"

"But we didn't know. Now we will know that they know."

"But they won't know that we know that they know so they will continue to pretend that they don't know and we can too."

"No we can't. I will know."

"Do you want to rent a hotel?"

"They'll know that we are renting a hotel to have sex." Sora rolled her eyes.

"But they won't hear us." Matt pointed out. "What' the point of us being on this honeymoon if there isn't going to be any sex?"

"Our marriage isn't only based on sex, Matt." Sora hissed.

"No it's now based on your friends and what they may or may not think." Matt growled.

"My friends have nothing to do with our marriage!"

"Not until today."


	8. Chapter 8

I am really really sorry it has taken me so long to up date this story and my other ones. So sorry. Here is a little to get by but my heart wasn't into it. I am working on the next chapter as you are reading and it (hopes) will be up next week. Sorry again.

* * *

Matt peered over the cart as the items grew. The food at the cabin started to empty more quickly then they first thought which created a need to take a trip to the grocery store. All last night, everyone threw what he or she wanted on the item list. Then it was up to Izzy to cross out the things they really didn't need or could go with out. Sora volunteered Tai and Matt to do the shopping. For Sora, it was a great way for her best friend and her husband to put in some bonding time. Tai and Matt on the other hand took it as a chore they were suckered into doing.

"Is any of this stuff on the list?" Matt asked.

Tai glanced in the wired cart. "Some of the stuff. I'm crossing it off as we go."

Matt held up two bags of candy and three boxes of cup cakes.

"Dude, I need sugar!" Tai frowned.

Matt just rolled his eyes but did not take the items out of the cart.

"I guess we should get some fruit and vegetables." Tai sighed as he walked towards the produce as if was headed to the gallows.

"Do you want a watermelon?" Matt asked the other boy. "I hadn't eaten one in a long time."

"You rap on them don't you?" Tai asked chuckling. "Get it? You're a musician and rap is a type of music. Singer raps on a melon?"

Matt glared.

"You do that glares stuff too much it'll give you wrinkles." Tai bawled up his fist and cracked the nearest melon. A large crack suddenly formed in the middle of the large fruit. "Um…"

"Pretend it wasn't you and keep walking." Matt pushed him forward.

"I didn't mean too." Tai frowned.

"How about some corn?" Matt asked.

"Yeah I can pick out corn!" Tai walked over to the bin. "How many should we get?"

"How many do you eat?" Matt asked.

"Excuse me?" A meek voice came from behind the boys. They both turned around to stare down at a petty sized teenage girl.

"You are him!" Her eyes grew larger. "I thought you were you when I saw you over there! Adrienne isn't going to believe this!" The girl quickly turned away and ran to the other side of the store.

"Well." Tai titled his head and stared at the space the girl had just filled, "That was odd."

Matt turned around and looked back at the corn, "How many did we decide on?"

"Four each?" Tai answered him.

"That's a lot." Matt looked at the brunette and they both shrugged at the same time and started filling up plastic bags with corn.

"So…." Tai gave Matt a side ways glance, "Are you and Sor having a tiff."

"No." Matt answered quickly.

"She was slamming her coffee mug down on the table this morning and kept glaring at you."

"It's nothing." Matt pushed the cart down towards the carrots.

"I hate carrots. Mom made me fried carrot sandwich when I was nothing but a bony kid and ever since, I can't eat carrots." Tai told him.

Matt lifted an eyebrow.

"My mother has a secret plot to kill off all her children with healthiness. She only has two left." Tai told him.

"How many did she start out with?"

"Two." Tai sighed, "She isn't really good at poisoning us to death but ,boy, do we suffer."

"Right." Matt grinned a little. "No carrots then."

"So back to you and Sor…."

"Why don't we just stick to the grocery list?" Matt cut him off.

"Okay." They walked towards the cereal aisle. "But you know I may be able to help. I have known her a long time and…"

"And I appreciate your offer but really it isn't any of your business." Matt cut him off again. "What's next on the list?"

"Mimi's writing." Tai turned the paper side ways. "I can't read it."

Matt peered over his shoulder. "Ultra thins something…"

"What's ultra thin?" Tai glanced up at the signs above the isles.

"Does she smoke?" Matt asked.

"No, she says it makes her smell." Tai looked back down at the paper. "Ultra thin with wings…I think."

"Wings?" Matt asked.

"Yeah with wings but it has to be ultra thin." Tai tapped on the paper surveying the store. "What has wings but thin?"

"Chicken?" Matt shrugged.

"Yeah! She must want chicken sliced thin!" Tai grinned and headed for the meat department.

"Oh my gawd!" A girl cried out. Matt froze but Tai, being curious by nature, turned around to see the girl from the produce area and another girl standing there, holding onto each other. "I so didn't believe Beth! You have to give me your autograph!"

Matt turned around a false smile. "Sure. You must be Adrienne?"

"You know my name!" The girl squealed, causing Tai to wince, and grabbed her friends arm. "Beth he knows my name! Can you believe it! Matt knows my name!"

"I don't have any paper." Matt took the pen Tai was using to cross off their grocery list.

"I don't care. Write on my arm or my shoe or…." Adrienne sighed dreamily up at Matt. "You are really tall and your eyes really are blue."

"Is it true you just got married?" Beth asked looking at the wedding ring on his finger.

"Yeah." Matt said softly as he clicked the pen top and glanced around at the people who started to notice.

"Is he your body guard?" Adrienne pointed at Tai.

Matt tore off the blank half of their grocery list and signed his name before handing it to the girl. "Here you go."

"Did you marry Felicity? The model you were with at the award show three years ago?" Beth asked.

Matt shook his head.

"She was really pretty." Beth went on. "Is your wife pretty like her? You looked really good at the rewards and I enjoyed your speech."

"Thank you.." Matt continued to smile but started pushing Tai so they could walk away.

Adrienne had taken out her cell phone and started dialling other people. "You will never guess who I just ran into! Way better then Jack! Matt! No Matt Ishida. The Matt from The Wolves! He's right here but you better come quickly!"

"Hurry." Matt pushed Tai away from the two girls.

"Oh my gawd!" Tai said in a high-pitch voice. "I can't believe it's you!"

"Shut up." Matt hissed.

"You're so tall and all pretty." Tai kept going.

"I can afford to hire a hit man on you." Matt warned him.

"Is that how you treat your body guards?" Tai pouted.

Matt rolled his eyes, "Lets just leave."

"We can't." Tai held up his shopping list. "We need to finish the list."

"But she made telephone calls…"

"Relax, it's a small town and you're not that famous." Tai rolled his eyes and turned back to the list. "We need juice. Fifteen minutes and we'll be gone. If anything happens, I'll protect your pretty boy ass."

"What took you so long?" Mimi, followed by Izzy and Joe, opened the cabin's screen door and bounced down the stairs to the car that pulled up. Tai rolled his eyes and climbed out of the car.

"What happen to you?" Izzy stopped in his tracks on noticing the scratch marks on his neck and arms. Tai's black T-shirt was torn around the neck and baring his shoulder where more scatches embedded his skin. One of his back pocket of his jeans were torn off completely leaving behind a trace of where a pocket should had been. The other pocket was yanked down, flapping against his butt and showing off the fabric of his boxers.

"He." Tai pointed to Matt as he climbed out of the driver's side of the car. "Threw me into those…those rapid monsters!"

"You said you would be my body guard." Matt told him.

"I didn't know what I was up against!" Tai growled and turned to Mimi. "Here's your chicken."

"Chicken?" Mimi frowned at the fresh, sticky, drippy package. She quickly drew it away from her.

"Yeah, your chicken. Since you marked it important and we could only save one thing…." Tai pointed to the package she held, "We saved the chicken."

"I didn't want chicken." Mimi still looked confused.

"Well your handwriting sucks. It was the only thing we could find with wings and we had to wait for it to be sliced thin." Tai threw up his hands. "You know what; I'll eat the chicken if you don't want it."

"B…but." Mimi glanced at Izzy.

"I like chicken." Izzy told her.

"Tai I should maybe have a look at you." Joe followed the younger boy into the cabin.

Kari walked over to Mimi and put a hand over her shoulder. "We'll go shopping okay?"

"I didn't want chicken." Mimi frowned at the brown-eyed girl.

"I know." Kari patted her arm sympathise.

Sora passed Tai as he marched into the cabin, raving about rapid chicken attacking. "What is all that about."

"We ran into some fans of mine." Matt mumbled. "Tai thought he could handle them and Mimi doesn't want her ultra thin chicken wings. Tai really took a lot of blows on saving the package."

Sora grabbed her husband's hand and twisted her arm around his. "We need to have a talk. About last night and bout ultra thin items."


	9. Chapter 9

"Ow, Joe that really burns!" Tai hissed and pulled back his arm where a welt from someone's finger ran up his arm. White foam appeared on the surface of his skin as the peroxide bubble under the skin. He sat on the dinner table with his shirt off while Joe cleaned up the scratches.

"Barely." Joe rolled his eyes.

"It does." Tai whimpered and began to gently blow on his wound, something his mother had always done.

"You've been hurt worse and you never complained before." Joe started to pack away his medical kit.

"This time was different." Tai grabbed Joe's shirtfront pulling him closer. His voice lowered but his grew as he relieved his horror. "I had always respected the opposite gender, you know that Joe. They are kind, caring, good-natured, and full of laughter and loving, Joe. To touch them is like touching the finest silk and tasting the sweetest nectar. Their voice is like the wind blowing gently on wind chimes. Joe I do love the opposite sex but the girls at the supermarket were not normal. These girls were different. I never had seen anything like them. They turned, Joe. Turned in a blink of an eye. Turned into some kind of wild rabid animals. The young, the old, the skinny ones the big ones. They all were…They screamed, Joe. I can still hear their voices pounding against my eardrums. Their eyes narrowed all cat like, they snapped and bit, they growled and hissed. They unleashed their claws and dug into anything in there way, which happened to be me. It was damn scary. I was lucky to get out of there with my life plus a chicken sliced real thin."

Joe nodded his head, pushed up his glasses and gave Tai a gentle pat on the back. "Just try and get some rest. Do you want me to send Kari in?"

"No! She's one of them!" Tai shook his head.

Joe cleared his throat, "Would you like me to stay with you for awhile?"

Tai picked up his shirt in distaste. "Ruined. A good shirt ruined."

"Tai?"

"You go ahead and pretend you are bird watching around Mimi some more, I'll be okay. My door has a lock." Tai slipped off the table and started for the stairs.

"Just get some rest, okay Tai." Joe yelled after him with a smile.

Tai waved back before he pounced up the stairs. A nap was exactly what he needed.

"Is he okay?" Kari came into the dinning room.

"Tai is Tai." Joe shrugged, "He'll forget all about it when the next girl throws a smile his way."

"No he won't." Kari smiled glancing up the now vacant stairs. "He'll remember when he wants a sympathy card to play."

* * *

Tai whistled as he moved down the hall. As he passed Sora's room, he glanced inside the opened doorway, a habit he always had, he was curious by nature. He paused and took a few steps back to look back in.

"What are you doing?" He watched his best friend jumping on the top of her bed.

"It squeaks." Sora stopped bouncing and stared at her friend.

"I hear it." Tai leaned against the doorframe.

"Well," Sora bounced off the bed, landing on the floor. "It seems that people hear it a lot."

Tai tilted his head for a moment. "Oh that. You found out about that did you? If it makes you feel better, we hadn't heard it for awhile."

Sora stared at him.

Tai blinked so Sora lifted up her eyebrows.

"Oh! You two haven't…"Tai shook his head. "That's not good. No wonder Matt is grouchy. I started to think he never smiles."

"Yeah." Sora blushed turned away. "I did hear about it and it bugs be knowing that you guys…you know."

"Hey, we knew you two are on a honeymoon. That is what honeymooners do. Remember when I brought Angie here?"

"Ugh, I hated that girl." Sora rolled hers and sat on the side of the bed.

"As it turns out, so do it." Tai grinned and took a seat beside her.

"Liar, you don't hate anyone."

"I try not." Tai shrugged. "But everyone knew what I was up too. I wasn't camping on the floor that's for sure."

"But we didn't hear you." Sora sighed, jiggling on the bed. "You guys hear us."

"Joe heard us. He complained all afternoon." Tai grinned. "Then again you girls have a different view on sex and what people should know. If Joe asked, I would have told him everything with the biggest grin on my face."

Tai looked at the bed, giving it a little bounce as well. "It is awfully noise though."

"I tried to oil it but…" Sora threw her hands up in defeat.

"We could drag it on the floor."

"You sound like Matt."

"It wouldn't be so bad. You guys have a balcony; we could drag the mattress near the glass door so you can look out at the stars. Mimi could dress the bed up, give you that princess effect. Even I know you'd like that."

Sora shrugged.

"Mimi's great at making things appear all fancy." Tai cleared his throat. "So I guess you two have been fighting about the bed and the lack of exercise it has been receiving."

"It was a little dispute about our private moments." Sora shrugged, "He didn't see things my way and I…"

"Refused to see it his way" Tai grinned. "Well let's not deprive you two of the best thing marriage has to offer!"

"You are such a guy!" Sora smacked Tai in the shoulder.

"I'm injured!" Tai rubbed his arm. "Where's Matt at?"

"He went to find his brother before his brother found your sister."

"Yeah, I don't trust that kid around Kari. I keep remembering what I thought when I was his age." Tai frowned. "I should just kill him now. Get it over with."

"You don't mean that."

"If he's thinking what I was and sometimes still do, yeah I do." Tai leaned back on her bed. "I know. Kari is not that little girl anymore but she is not an adult either and I still have that right to try to protect her. I don't know Tk or Matt but I seen a lot of young girls get hurt and I don't want her to be one of them."

"Some things you can't protect people from." Sora rubbed Tai's head.

"Don't you two look cozy?" Matt now leaned against the doorframe staring at his wife.

"Relax lover boy." Tai stretched and sat up before leaving Sora's side. He walked pass Matt and gave him a friendly slap on the back. "We were discussing my sister not the squeaky bed."


	10. Chapter 10

**_Authors Note: I am really sorry it took so long to post another chapter. I had a family member who was extremely sick, just a toddler and I really thought we were going to lose him in July. The whole month of July was hospital visits. Things have turned around and he is that cheerful little boy again. I worked a long time on this chapter today. To get it right, to make it long enough to hopefully make up for the pass months. I hope you enjoy it and I hope the next post won't be so long between._**

* * *

"Tai," Sora nudge her head to the next room.

"What?" Tai dug into the last of his cereal.

"Go speak to him." Sora urged.

"Oh." Tai stared gloomy at his cereal for a moment before slowly raising and going into the next room. He paused at the door frame for a moment, looking back over his shoulder.

"Go on." Sora waved her hands to pushed him onwards. "He doesn't bite."

Tai rolled his eyes before proceeding to the next room. He immediately spotted Matt on the sofa reading a magazine.

"Hey!" Tai put a cheerful smile and bounced next to Matt.

Matt glared as the magazine jumped before his eyes.

"I was thinking that maybe you and I could do something." Tai shifted on his seat, adjusting himself to face Matt's profile. He slung one hand on the arm of the couch and the other along the back of the sofa, his fingers resting just behind Matt's head. "Like go see a movie this afternoon. Then, I don't know, maybe have dinner then do something a little later? What do you say?"

"No." Matt flipped the page, no hesitation hinted in his answer. No pause of consideration was even attempted on his half.

"No?" Tai slanted his eyes at the other boy. "What do you mean no? I asked you nicely!"

"And I'm married. Happily married. To your best friend!" Matt shot back as he continued to read.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Tai threw his hands up in the air. "I'm not asking you on a date!"

"Then what are you asking?" Matt finally lifted his eyes from the magazine.

"To go to a movie then dinner then…" Tai's eyes grew large, "I did ask you out!"

Matt rolled his eyes before returning to his magazine.

"It's not like that. I'm not like that!" Tai went on.

"It's fine. I won't tell Sora, just don't ask again." Matt sounded bored.

"No. You got it wrong, Matt." Tai put a hand on Matt's arm.

Matt looked down at Tai's hand then slowly up at Tai.

Tai quickly pulled his hand away, his cheeks flushing.

"We'll pretend it never happen." Matt put his eyes back on the magazine.

"It didn't happen." Tai went on.

"Right." Matt nodded.

"No, seriously. It didn't happen! Everything came out wrong. You took it the wrong way!" Tai cried.

"Whatever." Matt voice was soft.

"Dude, I'm not into other dudes." Tai went on.

"Tai. Drop it." Matt said sternly. "It is not a big deal. Happens all the time."

"What? No this doesn't happen all the time. I dig girls. The cute, pretty variety. Not guys." Tai shook his head, "Sora asked me too!"

Matt blinked up at him in confusing. "My wife asked you to hit on me."

"I did not hit on you!" Tai hissed. "Your wife, my best friend ask me to do something with you. Something we can bond too."

"And you took that as an invitation to make a pass?" Matt asked.

"No damn it! You are so bloody conceited aren't you!" Tai yelled. "Sora asked me to spend time with you so we can become friends for her sake. I thought a movie would be something to do."

Matt turned back to his magazine.

"Look, she wanted us to do some bonding stuff together. I notice that I seem to irate you every time I open my mouth." Tai went on, "So I thought if we go see a movie, we won't be talking much. Then dinner, because I like to eat and seeming that you are still alive, you must eat sometime too. Although, I'm starting to think you have that whole vampire thing going on. Either way, I'll be stuffing my mouth so I won't be talking and if I do, you won't understand me because my mouth would be full. Then something afterwards, because I haven't gotten that far yet so I was hoping you would have a suggestion."

"I don't want to go to the movies with you nor do I want to watch you consume any amount of food." Matt sighed, "I've seen that enough while here."

"Fine. I tried." Tai stood up and faced the entrance of the living room, his back towards Matt. "I'll go and tell Sora that you refused any chance of becoming friends."

Matt growled inwardly and set his magazine aside. "No don't do that."

Tai smiled but did not face Matt.

"I'm sure there is something that we could do." Matt told him.

"Like?" Tai turned back around and sat next to him, not so close this time.

Matt shrugged.

"We could play soccer." Tai beamed jumping off the sofa. "I have a soccer ball up stairs. I'll just run up and get it."

"No." Matt shook his head.

"What do you mean no?" Tai frowned, slowly sinking back down onto the couch.

"I don't like soccer." Matt looked over at him.

"What the bloody hell! What do you mean you don't like soccer?" Tai practically screamed.

"I'm not into it." Matt simply stated.

"You're not into it." Tai said it slowly as though he was trying to understand what that really meant.

"The game is okay but I'm not really into sports." Matt explained.

"Fine. Whatever." Tai shook his head in disbelief. "How about swimming."

"No." Matt shook his head.

"You seem to like swimming." Tai told him.

"I don't mind swimming with my brother and I really enjoy swimming with my wife but I don't want to swim with you. Perhaps before you made a pass at me, I might have but now…"

"I did not make a pass at you!" Tai growled.

They both were silent. Tai crossed his arms and stared at Matt. Matt stared forward at the wall across from where he sat.

" How about hiking." Tai finally broke the silence. "We can do a lot of hiking here."

"No." Matt shook his head.

"Why not hiking?" Tai threw his hands in the air.

"It's hot outside." Matt pulled a face.

"Then what? There isn't much to do here." Tai sighed and leaned back on the sofa only to mutter, "I can't believe Sora married a pansy."

"What did you say?" Matt shot a look over at Tai.

"Nothing." Tai leaned his head backwards against the head of the sofa.

"We could play with the game systems." Matt noticed the play station set before the television.

"Games." Tai blinked slowly. "Brilliant! Why didn't I think of that?"

Matt looked quickly over at Tai as he bounced off the sofa.

"We can play games all day! That's bonding and it's guy stuff!" Tai grinned, "Yeah, we can do this."

"Matt," Sora walked into the living room. "The girls and I are going to go shopping."

Matt looked towards her. "All of you?"

"Well, yeah." Sora smiled, "We haven't done anything together for awhile, not just us girls and I thought it might be fun."

"That's great, Sor." Tai said from his position on the floor where he was hooking up a game system. "Make sure Kari goes with you too. I don't like how TK and Davis are always at her feet."

"Well, yeah she's coming." Sora looked confused, "You know Tai, your sister is a girl too."

"I know and I'd like to keep her that way." Tai muttered.

"I think once they are girls, they remain that way…well most of them do." Matt told the brunette.

"They eventually become girlfriends to someone who doesn't desire to be called her boyfriend." Tai growled.

Sora walked towards Matt, lifting his face by placing a hand under his chin so she could give him a deep kiss. "Love you."

"Love you too." Matt whispered against her lips.

"That's what I don't want her to become." Tai rolled his eyes. "Go, Sora. Do you girl bonding so we can do our guy bonding."

"Sora!" Mimi yelled from outside. "We are going with or with out you!"

"I better go." Sora slowly released Matt, her hand gliding down his neck, over his shoulder, skimming his outstretched hand, trying to keep touching him as long as she was able though she was walking away. "See you tonight."

"Have fun, lov." Matt smiled back at her.

"Yeah, yeah. Go already." Tai hissed as he untangled the cord around the controller only to hand it to Matt before he went after the other control piece.

"What are we playing?" Matt asked.

"Just a simple dirt bike racing game." Tai muttered. "I'm player one and you are player two."

* * *

"Wow, so they are bonding." Mimi smiled at Sora as she climbed into the car.

"Yeah, it's great." Sora smiled nervously, "But why do I feel so nervous?"

Mimi backed out of the dirt drive way onto a unmarked road. "Because you can't be there to supervise them."

"They'll be fine, Sor." Yolei called from the back seat. "Maybe they'll even become friends."

"You're right." Sora nodded her head, more for herself then for them.

"Sure we are right. It's what you wanted." Mimi went on. "Your best friend and your husband becoming great buddies."

"I know." Sora said gloomy.

"Second thoughts?" Kari asked from her seat behind Sora. "Matt seems like a great guy and Tai likes everyone. They'll hit it off."

"You are right." Sora gave a true smile. "Everything will be fine."

"Hey, how about we go to Seduca' so you can pick Matt something up special tonight." Mimi gave Sora a wicked look.

Kari and Yolei giggled from the back seat.

"I hear that's what you are suppose to do. If your husband does something good, something you wanted him to do, you reward him." Mimi smile became larger, showing off a beautiful set of teeth. "Do you know how much I envy you?"

"Me?" Sora looked taken back.

"Matt is delicious." Mimi gave a girlish growl.

"Stop." Sora felt a blush creep to her cheeks.

"You know." Kari scooted in her seat so she could slip her head between Sora and Mimi's seat. "This is the first time we actually got you alone with out one of the guys being present."

"I know. We should do this more often." Sora nodded her head. "We could have lunch then catch a movie."

"Sounds great and in between shopping, eating and watching a film you can tell us all about Matt." Mimi winked at Sora.

"Roll down the window!" Yolei said from the backseat, "It's getting hot in here!"

* * *

"Hit him!" Tk yelled in Matt's ear.

"What do you think I am doing!" Matt yelled back.

"Come on Tai! I can't believe he's winning! You're letting a pretty boy take you down! Be a man!" Davis rubbed Tai's shoulder.

The boys had switched off and were now playing a wrestling game. Tk and Davis grew intensely involved, edging the other two men to out whip their component.

"Hey I'm going to get something for us to eat. No one kills anyone till I get back!" Izzy warned the group, having a hard time taken his eyes off the television while walking.

"Um…I'll help." Joe leaned near Matt's ear. "You better win. Tai's been beating me for four years. Show no mercy!" Joe gave Matt a friendly clap on the shoulder before following Izzy into the kitchen.

"What should we get?" Joe asked, looking into the refrigerator. "We have left over hamburgers from the grill."

"Well, it's a guys day." Izzy said slowly. "Couldn't we, you know not eat health?"

Joe frowned.

"Just this one day." Izzy hurried up.

"No. You are right. Junk food isn't good for you but I guess it could be even up with the good time we are having. It's good to have a good time once in awhile."

"Great!" Izzy beamed as he ran towards the cupboard, grabbing anything that wasn't good for them. Potato chips, pretzels, peanut butter, all the chocolate and candy he could find (even in the secret places), soda and beer.

"Err…isn't that over doing it?" Joe asked.

"Come on Joe. It'll be fun!" Izzy ran into the living room. "I brought food from the gods!" Izzy yelled, placing a huge bowl of everything he could find and stuffing it inside the bowl.

"Cool!" Davis grinned as he grabbed a handful of stuff. "Where did all this stuff come from?"

"One of those bargain places." Joe sat near them. "We went there yesterday to purchase the economy size. Thought it would last till the end of this vacation. Now, I hope it last the day."

"Great of you sharing your food." Tk beamed taken a bag of chips.

Tai set down the controller to dig in.

"What? The games over?" Izzy's mouth dropped.

"Who won?" Joe frowned.

Everyone else pointed to Tai.

"I am now and forever shall be the winner!" Tai bowed down to the group.

"That sucks." Joe grumbled.

"Nah, he plays me next. He barely beat Matt and I always kick my brother's ass." Tk beamed.

"I let your brother look good." Tai warned him.

"Sure you did." Tk grinned evilly. "Too bad I won't show you that much kindness."

"How about I take you on now?" Tai asked.

"Don't you want your hand to rest?" Tk titled his head, "I don't want that to be an excuse you ploy after I beat you."

"Ha!" Tai rolled his eyes. "You will never take me little swine!"

"Hey, no reason for name calling." Joe interrupted.

* * *

"So how about this?" Mimi held up a deep blue satin and lace night gown with very little satin. "It matches his eyes."

"It is pretty." Sora agree, "But it's not my color."

"You are right." Mimi put it aside, "It is my color though."

"I don't want you to buy it." Sora frowned, "You just said it matched my husband's eyes."

"Well yeah but I won't be thinking about your husband when I'm wearing this. I'll be thinking how good I look." Mimi rolled her eyes.

"How about pale pink?" Kari held up a silky grown with pearls as straps. The nightgown was long, touching the floor but it's material was designed to hug a girls curve. Revealing while elegant. The back of the gown v-ed deeply, downward to show off just a tip of the curve of a woman's back side.

"Oh, that is pretty." Sora eyed it.

"Buy it!" The girls said at once.

* * *

"Eat it!" The boys urged Tai to down marshmallow followed by a gulp of beer.

Tai let the marshmallow slip down his throat and hurried to empty his drink, slamming it down and holding his hands in the air as though he just ran a marathon. The guys hooted and cheered.

"Davis!" Joe stuck a marshmallow in his mouth.

Davis closed his eyes and chopped down the sugary sweet before begging for his can of beer. The younger boys had waited for their older friends to finish most of the alcoholic before they slipped a hand over a can. Sooner then they thought, they were consummating beer along side of them with out a word being said.

Davis smirked and slammed down his beer in glee.

"Okay Matt, back to you." Joe took out a marshmallow. "This would make one hundred and eleven for each of you."

Matt groaned.

"Do you want to bail?" Tai teased.

Matt took a deep breath and allowed Joe to shove a marshmallow in his mouth.

"Come on Matt!" Tk held a can of beer to his brother.

Matt fought against the gagging and finally swallowed the marshmallow then the beer.

"Wahoo!" Tk shouted.

"Alright, Izzy." Joe turned to Izzy who held up a hand to finish his beer.

"Hey, marshmallow then beer!" Tai slurred.

"I was thursty." Izzy slurred back, opening his mouth to accept the marshmallow.

* * *

"This is so good!" Mimi closed her eyes as she savaged the flavor of her chicken.

"We need to come here more often." Kari nodded her hand dipping into her desert. Licking off her spoon slowly before diving it into her mouth and sucking the rest of the chocolate off.

"And the service is excellent!" Yolei arched her back, her arm stretching outwards with a cup so a waiter could refill her drink.

"Every year, we need to come back hear." Sora agreed taken a morsal of her own food and slowly blowing on it to cool it off.

The male waiters sighed as they watched four beautiful woman slowly eat. The girls were unaware of how seductive they were enjoying their food.

* * *

"Lork." Tk stumbled down the steps into the living room. "I found porn!"

"Where?" Davis belted down another beer.

"In Ta's rum." Tk slurred.

"Hey…never mind." Tai laid on his stomach, stretched out on the carpet. His stomach rolling from the four hundred marshmallow puffs he consumed to win the drinking game.

Matt threw a popcorn cornel at Tai's face. "Better not be any guy on guy."

"Tis not." Tai groaned. "And I did not ask you out!"

"Dude, you asked you best friend's husband out?" Davis stared down at his idol.

"Noooooo!" Tai groaned as his stomach flopped again. "I like girls."

"Even guys that like girls ask Matt out before." Tk sighed. "Happens all the time."

"I am so glad I'm not hot." Izzy muttered settling down on the floor to watch the show.

"My head hurt." Matt whined form the sofa.

"I told you not drink cold beverages that fast." Tk scalded his brother. "You can't handle it."

Davis shook his head at the older boys. "Hey Teeks, why ain't we as drunk as they are?"

"Um…" Tk frowned for a moment. "I think we are but we don't know it yet."

"Oh, right." Davis made his forth attempt to shove the DVD into the disc player.

"Are you going to put the show in or what?" Joe, who was stacking beer cans against the wall, asked.

"Yeah yeah hold on." Tk waved his hand at Joe before helping Davis place the disk into the slot.

* * *

"Oh, they look so happy!" Kari sniffled at the big screen as the leading man and leading lady finally kissed.

"I can't believe he gave up so much for her." Mimi agreed. "I want a man like that. Why can't I find someone who is that compassionate?"

"They don't make men like that." Yolei shook her head in awe.

"When this comes out on DVD, I'm buying it. Every time I watch it I'm going to think of today." Sora whispered.

"Awww…." Kari, Mimi, and Yolei hugged her at once.

* * *

"Come on, take it off." Davis whispered to the television.

"Davis, it's about topless girls." Izzy looked at the younger boy. "They all take it off you don't have to ask them too."

"I didn't know they got that big…" Tk titled his head.

* * *

"This was the best night we ever had since I got married." Sora giggled.

The girls linked their arms around each other as they approached the cabin.

"We really need to do this more often." Mimi adjusted her bags. "It is so good for us. Shopping takes away all the negativity I might have been feeling if I had them to begin with."

"I know what you mean…." Kari nodded her head and opened the door.

"Guys must still be up." Yolei eyed the television light coming from the living room.

"I hope they bonded." Sora took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

"I doubt it." Mimi said under her breath. "Those two guys are so different."

"I know but…" Kari stopped as Sora slowly walked back towards them. "Sora?"

"What is it?" Mimi asked.

"Oh my god!" Yolei covered her mouth. "They killed each other."

"No but I will kill them." Sora slanted her eyes.

The other three looked confused. Slowly they edge towards the living room.

"What the hell?" Yolei put her hand on her hip. "I spent a whole day cleaning this place up!"

Food was everywhere. Tai's sleeping form was outline by popcorn the guys had threw at him. Joe was sleeping in a bed of empty cans of beer. Matt was on the sofa upside down, his head dangling over the side. Izzy was sleeping in front of the television while girls displayed themselves flickered across the screen. Davis was passionately embracing the coffee table's leg and Tk was sleeping soundly, wrapped in plastic wrapping.

"Does this mean they bonded?" Kari asked carefully.


	11. Chapter 11

The life in Paris had cycled to another year and as Sora looked through the window of their newly purchased country home, she witness the winter coat that settled upon the trees which outline their large estate. It was Matt's idea to leave the city. He grew incredibly tired of the press hounding them when ever they went outside. He was never really the social butterfly though he could hold his charm through any ordeal the press threw at him. It was Catherine who came to the rescue. Always Catherine that seemed to always be conscious of what Matt needed and that pained Sora. To know that another could be so in tuned with her husband where she was not. It wasn't that she didn't try but Matt was not a simple man. He had expressed his desire to leave the city, which at the time was not Sora's own desire but quickly dropped the subject when she refused to leave their city home.

_"My work is here, Matt." Sora argued._

_"We are both finically stable, love. You're work can be anywhere. We could live on a boat and still be able to work." Matt had said._

_"My friends are here." Sora added._

_"And you have friends from your own country which you left." Matt reminded here._

_"It doesn't make sense to just leave." Sora continue. "The city has so much to offer."_

_"But we cannot enjoy it with out a group behind our backs to photograph every thing we do, say or wear." Matt softly spoke. He always spoke softly._

_"I don't want to leave yet." Sora sighed_.

_"Fine." Matt nodded and dropped the subject. He never brought it up again._

But it wasn't fine. A silent wall was built between them. Sora went to work as always. Her business wasn't far and she enjoyed the walk when she was able. Matt however, grew reclusive. Rarely did he venture out. He found comfort in his piano in the music room of their large home. On the rare occasion when they did risk the outdoors, their freedom to the world was short lived as someone always recognized the pair and the consist photographers flash dazzled before them even during a private meal.

It wasn't long before even the music room seem to distance them.

_"Your not being fair to him." Catherine pointed her spoon, dripping with chocolate ice cream, at Sora. "You are not as famous as he is, Sora."_

_"He doesn't understand. I need my job. I want a career." Sora stared down at her own ice cream dish._

_"I think you are the one who doesn't understand. You are keeping him like a pet. A pet that you keep in a box too small for it's own good." Catherine sighed._

_"I am not. He is a grown man. He can leave the house when ever he wishes_."

_"Sora, listen to yourself." Catherine placed her spoon down. "Don't you see where your marriage is heading? Matt has stepped aside for your career. He has accepted second place to your precious career because it's what you want. You are being so absorbed in your career that you are forgetting about him and what's good for him. Matt loves you. He loves being in love with you but you are so in love with your career lately."_

_"This isn't the right time to just pick up and go." Sora sighed._

_"When? When there is no one to go home too?" Catherine asked. "He has never complained about you doing your dream. He has always been their for you, encouraging you. Even now, he has boarded himself up in a house for you and you still continue about how unfair he is being."_

_"Do you remember when you came back from your honeymoon and how the press hounded you?" Catherine asked. "I remember that it took you less then a week before you broke down in tears because some guy took a photo of you and how the papers tore you apart on the clothes you were wearing!"_

_"I went out to check the mail."_

_"Exactly. But you are Matt's wife. His elegant wife and they caught you at a bad moment. Matt receives that every time he leaves the house. You don't live in a private community, Sora. Your backyard is open for the world to see. The Wolves latest album has become a major success, Sora. They have less privacy then when you two first started dating."_

_"I know."_

_"Then what is the big deal? You move to a little place in the country where he can at least enjoy being outdoors again."_

_"I don't know. I don't think I'm ready yet." Sora grumbled._

_"That's your problem. You need to stop thinking about the if's and start thinking with your heart. You have so much love to give, Sora. Don't waste it on usuries. Don't let your future become a missing part of you."_

And this was how they ended up in a country estate. The move had proven to be romantic and Sora rethought about who she is, how she got there and found that maybe she was a little too greedy with her success.

She looked up at the phasing moon and the stars that appear touchable above the low winter sky. It wasn't just the move Matt wanted now. No, now he wanted more. He wanted more and it was a sacrifice more on her part then his own.

He wanted children.

She walked over to the coat rack, slipping into the heavy coat and knee high boats. She wrapped a large scarf around her neck a few times before confronting the winter mix outside.

Children. He hadn't pressured her. He simply stated that he wanted to start a family. It wasn't something unreasonable but once again, her career. She would need to work less, get more sleep and maybe hire more help. Children. That wasn't a year commitment. It was a life long change. If a marriage didn't work, divorcé was always an option but children. That was something you could not take back.

She found him in his solitary world, skating upon the frozen lake surface. The snow fell around him and the wind circled what snow had fallen up in the air once more. On spotting her, a smile crept upon his face so easily.

"_Matt loves you. He loves being in love."_

Sora picked up the skates she had left behind during the afternoon outing and sat on the snow covered bench to place them on.

She had no doubt that Matt would be a wonderful parent. What worried her was if she would make a good mother. Closing her eyes, she let the silence surrounded her. It was the silence of what only winter seem to be able to bring.

_"You have so much love to give."_

_"Mommy watch me!" A girl's voice giggled distantly._

Sora's eyes flashed open, darting across the frozen lake. Matt continue to skate, gliding mindless across the glass surface lost in his own mind.

_"Mommy look at me…." The small image of a little girl in a red coat flashed before her, spinning clumsily in a thin disappeared transformation._

_"Don't let your future become a missing part…."_

Sora blinked at the hand that now came before her. She slowly raised her own hand and placed in Matt's. He pulled her up and guided her to the open part of the lake, swirling her around. She became his partner in the dance once more.

"You always here music, don't you?" Sora whispered as he caught her in his arms and held her tight.

Matt looked down at her but he was quiet. He had been quiet for a long time.

"I think," Sora looked up at Matt, finding his eyes. "I think I'm starting to hear it too."


	12. Chapter 12

* * *

Thanks to the reviewers and to the readers!

* * *

Tai rolled over on his back and listened. There it was again. High pitched squeals and too much giggling going on in the next room for such an early morning. He pulled the pillow over his head in order to reduced the sound so he could go back to sleep. It didn't work, no. Oh it did muffled the commotion in the next room but it also congested his oxygen level to a barely there intake.

He growled and tossed the pillow over his head to land softly against the wall.

_What were they talking so loudly about!_ Tai growled. He shoved his legs into a pare of pant and trotted to his sister's room. He was going to just barge in but he remembered a very embarrassing moment last year in seeing his sister in just a bra and shorts.- so instead he knocked and yelled.

"Do you have any idea of what time it is?" Tai shouted through the door. "There are people who are still asleep! Sleep is what NORMAL people do in the mornings! They sleep!"

Davis opened the door, wide and gave his friend a cocky smile, "Tai, you are the only one I know who refers the afternoon to morning."

"What are you doing here?" Tai mumbled, headed for the living room with Davis in tow. True, on spotting the clock in that room, it did say twelve-forty-two. "why are you in Kari's room?"

"We were talking." Davis gave him an innocent look.

Tai glared back.

"Relax Tai." Mimi and Yolei came out of Kari's room as well. "We were chaperoning them. The only reason the door was closed was because you were sleeping and we didn't want to wake you up."

"You did a lousy job." Tai hissed as he watched his sister roll her eyes.

"Don't mind him." Kari waved her brother off, "He's that way when he comes home from a late night."

"Yeah?" Davis grinned, "So what happen?"

"And they say we girls are the ones that gossip!" Mimi sat crossed legged next to Tai.

"We have some news to tell you." Yolei sighed. "We aren't sure how you are going to take it but just try to be reasonable about it and mature."

"Don't ask him to do the impossible," Kari sat next to Davis, across from her brother.

"Okay. We would like you to try to listen to us before you do anything rash and immature." Yolei spoke to him as she was speaking to a child.

"Knock it off, both of you." Tai growled. He did have a long night and his head kept reminding him of that. It was a good night but well….

"There is going to be a new addition to our little family," Yolie smiled brightly. Of course, 'their little family' she meant her friends. They seemed like extended family.

"I thought your parents were done." Tai looked at her in a pity sort of a way. She had more brothers and sisters then an orphanage, why more. "Is your father going through mid-life crises' again?"

"Uh, no." Yolei shook her head. "You misunderstood me."

"Tai." Mimi leaned over with a wide smile on her face, "Someone is going to have a baby!" As she said the word 'baby' her voice rose ten notches.

"A baby?" Tai blinked a moment. He stared down at the small stand that was arranged between the two sofa's. Then slowly his head raised, his eyes at first were large when they took in his sister's face. Slowly, those brown chocolate morsels landed on Davis where they slanted. "I. Am. Going. To. Kill. You."

"W-What! NO!" Davis shook his head, raising from his seat. "You don't understand!"

"Oh, I understand alright!" Tai lounged at the younger boy, barely catching him as Davis jumped over the sofa and raced for the door. It was locked and Davis hurried to unlock the bolt clumsily.

"Tai you got it all wrong!" Mimi tackled Tai but only managed to grab his leg, which she held on for dear life.

"Let me go!" Tai shook his leg but Mimi wouldn't loosen her grip so he started to drag the honey blonde across the floor.

"Tai you are being a jerk again!" Kari yelled. "I'm not the one who is preg…"

"Don't you talk to me right now!" Tai turned at her. "I can't believe you let this happen!"

"I didn't let anything happen because nothing happen!" Kari yelled.

"Mimi let me go!" Tai bent down and pried Mimi's finger's loose.

"Will you listen you big Neanderthal!" Yolei yelled but Tai had already headed down the hall and out the door, which still was hanging open from Davis' swift escape.

"I told you he would do something immature." Kari huffed.

Mimi rose from her spot on the floor, grabbing her purse. "I'm going to call Joe and Izzy."

"Yeah, maybe Ken could help with all this mess too." Yolei punched in her own numbers as Mimi waited for someone to pick up her own phone call.

"Joe! Thank the heavens!" Mimi made a dramatic hand wave towards the ceiling.

* * *

Joe blinked a few times as Mimi rambled on. He took off his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Why couldn't you just go out and say 'sora's having a baby." He listened as Mimi started on how she wanted to savory the surprise. Either way, it made no sense to him. Savoring any kind of news just allows the other to stew in their own thoughts, predicting worse things possible. "Yeah, I'll go look for him. Hopefully I can get there before he kills Davis. If not, I'll take a shovel to dispose of the body." Joe listen as Mimi gasp and started on how she didn't mean this to happen, "Mims, I was joking. apparently I need to do more often since everyone takes me serious no matter what I say. Yes I'm off! I'm out the door already."

Joe looked down one side of the street, then up the other side. Where would he start? Davis would be running blind, running without thought.

* * *

Ducking and dodging pedestrians , Davis ran. He ran through the center of the street to throw Tai off his trail but the blare shrill sounds of the horns gave him away. He took a dash through the auto car wash, even though it wasn't running he hoped the water would hide his scent and lead Tai off his trail. With a quick look over his shoulder, he was the silhouette of a bush brown mass of hair bobbing behind him. Not close but he was gaining. Davis ran up the stairs of the town's small police department.

"He's going to kill me!" he yelled as he ran through the department and out the back door.

The small police force watched as the door slowly shut only to look the other way as another door open to reveal a larger boy with bushy hair.

"I'm going to kill him!" Tai shouted at them as he followed Davis' step.

"Ignore them." Ken's father, a fellow police officer shook his head, "I'll speak to their parents after work."

"B-but…" Another officer looked a bit alarm, "Shouldn't we stop them."

"No, they'll go back to being best friends in a few hours. Still, I'll speak with their parents."

Davis hurled over fences, leaped over tall buildings…well small toy garage and there was only one. He had taken a gravely scenic route through the grave yard, still Tai followed. Davis was panting pretty hard and he knew he couldn't go on much longer. With luck, maybe he ran the anger out of Tai. Abruptly, he stopped. He took a deep breath and a few more, trying to catch his breath. He couldn't shake him. Tai was like a mad dog and he was frothing around the mouth. Still, Davis was tired. He had to make his stand so he stood tall, shoulders back and chest out, hoping it made him look bigger and stronger then he actually was, and he watched Tai approached him, fist clutching tightly at his side.

Davis looked around slowly, realizing his location. It was their childhood park where they shared a lot of memories playing together. He now stood on a solid, frozen pond where they had all learnt ice skating and shared many bruises from the falls. It was a fitting place to make his stand, Davis looked up as flakes of snow started downwards, but it was a cold day to die.

"If you hit him I am going to wring your neck!" Joe stormed up to Tai, giving him a hard hit along side of the head. His cheeks were flushed from the cold and his glasses had fogged up. He was heaving pretty hard as well from his search of his two friends. By luck, he found them pretty quickly. It was actually Izzy who recommended that he checked the park. "Do you know what I was doing? I was studying, Tai. Studying for a very large examine tomorrow! Do you know why I am out here? So you wouldn't kill Davis."

"My sister is pregnant because of him!" Tai growled.

"She is not." Joe shook his head.

"She isn't?"

"No." Joe took off his glasses, rubbing the moisture off them. "No. And if you would listen before you jumped to conclusions or even if you would ask questions, you would had known she wasn't."

"Then why did he run?" Tai asked, his eyes drifting to Davis. "Why did you run?"

"Because you were going to kill me!" Davis threw his hands up in the air. "I idolize you Tai. I know you better then you know yourself and I knew you wouldn't listen when you get that feral look in your eyes. You wouldn't listen to anything! If I hadn't run, I would had been strangled!"

"Then what…who is?" Tai asked. "Sora." Joe whispered. "I have spoken with her earlier this morning. She sounded very excited."

"Well, why didn't she tell me?" Tai frowned, feeling a little betrayed and hurt. Sora and he went way back to the diaper stage. They had done everything together. They shared everything with each other, until she ran off to Paris. Now, she wasn't the same. Paris had corrupted her. It had made her into an adult that no longer confined in her childhood friend.

"You wouldn't get up when she called." Davis yelled across the pond, still not certain he should approached Tai. "Kari tried to wake you."

"Oh." Tai scratched his head.

"Sora had said that she wanted to come home when she advanced more in to her pregnancy. I'm assuming to be closer to her mother and well, maybe us too." Joe went on.

"Is Matt going to do it?" Tai raised his eyebrows. "Let her move back?"

"I think you are underestimating him." Joe patted Tai on the back before slowly slipping his glasses in place. "I got the impression that he would do anything for her. Besides, the Sora I know would do it whether he wanted her to or not."

"Wait." Davis moved towards Joe. "So she's moving back?"

"Yeah, I think so. Maybe not permitted but at least until the baby is born." Joe smiled. "By then, maybe we can convince them to stay."

"So Matt will come with her." Davis' face grew pale. "And his brother, whathisname maybe coming too."

"Tk." Joe shrugged but Tai and Davis exchanged knowing looks.

"Guys." Joe picked up on their thoughts. "Davis, it will do you good to have some healthy competition and Tai, you need to let her go. One day she'll want a husband and kids of her own."

"She can adopt." Tai hissed, pushing pass Joe.


	13. Chapter 13

Author's Note: It has been awhile since I wrote for this story. My characters might be a little off because of that. I know what I wanted for Sora and Matt but Catherine, well I'm not sure if I can get her back. Reading my stuff, I enjoyed her personality so I am attempting it. The chapter is small, I know but it was very difficult to write from such a long break and I stopped because of writer's block.

I want to take a moment to everyone who kept reading this story and kept wanting an update on it. Thanks for not giving up.

A special thank you to SoraCloud who went out of her way to get me to update. I had no idea this story was dear to so many people - thanks SoraCloud, this chapter is yours.

* * *

Tai stood at the bottom of the stairs, bracing a hand on the banister as he looked up towards the rooms above his head and beyond his sight. He could hear the sharp, quick clicking sound as her fancy heels touching the bare floor of the house. Being empty, her footsteps echoed through the house and down to Tai. He gritted his teeth against each other, fuming as he imaged each room being distastefully shunned one, by one.

It might be true that he did not have any fancy schooling when it came to picking out houses or landscaping but he was not a dolt either. This house was sturdy; it had just been freshly repainted, as it still smelled of paint odors. It had a solid foundation. The basement never gathered water. The attic, well doesn't all attics get hot and stuff? Most importantly, it was only five minutes away from him.

"Well?" Tai growled on hearing her step grow closer to the top of the stairs. Her face suddenly appeared behind the upstairs banister, looking down at him.

Down at him, Tai thought and narrowed his eyes as he had done so many times today. He could feel a slight ticking working his left corner of his eyes.

"No." Catherine sighed sadly, disappointedly as she moved along the banister to the stairs open case, then slowly descending the steps. So slowly, her heels giving a sharp tap like a hammer driving a nail into Tai's head slowly, torturing him.

"And why not?" Tai asked folding his arms in front of him so he could not strangle the girl as she drew closer. "The carpet doesn't match the wall? Not enough bathrooms? Maybe the bathrooms are too spaced out from each other. Too small perhaps. Oh, wait. I know why you don't like this place." Tai held up his hands in defeat. "I noticed it too."

"You did?" Catherine's long lashes blinked with surprise and her painted lips turned slightly at the corners.

"Yeah. On the way in, I saw it almost immediately. I cannot believe I missed it when I checked this place out by myself. I guess being with you, checking out five houses and finding their faults finally rubbed off on me." Tai gave a deep disappointed sigh. "Coming in, by the oak tree I notice that one of the blades of grass was a different shade of green."

"What?" Catherine's well plunked eyebrows scrunched up as she stopped two steps from Tai.

"You didn't notice!" Tai put his hand over his heart. "Its slightly brighter color then the rest of the grass. Why, what would Matt and Sora think coming home to a blade of grass that is mismatched?"

"You are an oaf." Catherine crossed her arms now, glaring down at Tai from the third step. Her French accent seems to get thicker when she grew angery. "How dare you mock me! Matt and Sora are aware of my gift of picking the right house out for the right people. Obviously they didn't trust you to the job or they would not have asked me to look over the houses, now would they." Catherine smiled smugly as she noticed Tai slightly back a step away at her words. "Oh, so that is it isn't it. The poor little boy is mad because his friend does not find him worthy enough to pick out a house for them. Truth hurts, doesn't it?"

"You are a bitch." Tai growled out before storming off. He found the nearest door, swung it open hard enough that it bounced against the wall and slammed shut after him.

"Men, boys how do we ever tell them apart." Catherine asked the house. Her voice echoed through all the rooms, asking the same question but none of the rooms had an answer so the house went quite. Catherine walked out a different door, softly closing it behind her. She walked around the corner of the house. She walked on the tip of her heels so her shoe would not sink into the ground. It was worth the sight of seeing Tai standing on a flat wooden platform, which his left foot had gone through the flooring.

"That would be the reason I didn't pick this house." Catherine explained. "Wood rot. Though it is only the outside of the home and easy enough to fix, I don't want my pregnant friend accidentally stepping through the porch." Catherine smiled sweetly at Tai's death glares and turned towards his car.

Tai clenched his fist at his side, reminding himself that men do not hit deserving women for any reason.

Karma is truly a blessing. Half way towards the car, Catherine's expensive heels sunk into the dirt causing her to trip. Her little dress now had pretty little grass stains on it.

Catherine glanced over her shoulder at the sound of his laughter. He was not even trying to hide his amusement. She picked herself up, pulled down her dress, put her chin in the air and limped back to his car where she slammed the door shut.

"Hey, I'm driving! You can get your pretty little ass out of the driver's seat now miss!" Tai kicked his foot free from the platform and hurried to the car. He heard the engine start up.

"Catherine!" He warned her, hitting the roof of the car with his fist but she kept backing out of the driveway.

"Catherine, get the hell back here!" Tai yelled from the sidewalk as she coasted out onto the empty paved road.

She wiggled her manicured fingers out of the window in a gesture of good-bye and squealed his tired down the road.

"Stop!" Tai ran after her and he knew she was egging him since her speed did not pick up. "You don't know your way around!" Tai yelled. "This is grand theft! Its illegal in this country to steal a guy's car!"

Finally, his car coasted to a stop. Holding his side from the winded run, he trotted over to her. She coasted forward. "Catherine." He warned as he approached again and she moved further ahead slightly. Her little game continued around the block and quickly they had bystanders who acted as all the sudden lawn care needed to be tended too. Oh, he could tell by their faces that they were enjoying the show.

"Do you see what you are doing?" Tai told her, hoping that she realized she was not only embarrassing him but herself as well. "People are staring at us! I swear someone just brought out some popcorn! They have lawn chairs out ready to see how long your little fit last!"

Her slight fingers tapped against the window's frame and he could hear her humming some kind of song, even her hum sounded French to him.

"You are being unreasonable." Tai sighed as she once again kept the car slightly a few steps from him.

"Fine! I'm sorry!" Tai yelled noticing her fingers stopped tapping but the car kept moving. "I'm sorry for calling you a bitch and…and for underestimating your house picking skills or whatever you want to call it."

The car stopped and Tai noticed that the viewers also stopped working as well. They leaned against their lawn tools or took this moment to take a drink. "Well?" Tai put both hands on the side of the window and leaned towards her through the window. She blinked up at him, so innocently, so mockingly then slid over to the passenger's side of the car.

Tai leaned back into his seat, sighing as the air conditioner hit his face slightly cooling him off. Next time, he was taken the keys with him.

"I find that I must apologize as well." The evil woman voice felt like spiders crawling up his spine. "I am sure that what I said about your inabilities in finding the right house was not completely correct."

"The houses were not a terrible pick for someone like you." Catherine glanced down at Tai's faded jeans and plain tee shirt. "However since Sora and Matt are living in a different social standards where the most important people may come to call, their house must be up to notch. You do understand, don't you?" Catherine smiled prettily at him.

Tai turned slowly towards her, his hand tighten on the gearshift as he thought about snapping her neck. How could someone insult a person in an apology!

"I am going to kill you then consume the evidence between slices of bread." Tai whispered at her, putting his foot on the gas and towards the next house. Secretly, he was hoping there was a well on the next land so he could push her in.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Sorry about the long break between the chapters. I just couldn't seem to get this next chapter right. I"ve deleted the scene so many times. Decided to just go with what I had. Hope you all like.**

* * *

She wanted to continue driving along at a snail pace while Tai tailed her like a lost dog but the hard truth of the matter, one she hated to admit, was that Tai was right. He was absolutely right. She had no idea where she was going. This country area, where he deemed worthy of centering his friends' life, had the same features. House, tree, house, tree. All the bloody roads took her back around.

The worst of it was that Tai had stopped running after the car. He had settled down with the rest of the neighborhood with a lawn chair and a drink that he no doubt was slurping out of a can, watching with that stupid grin as Catherine circled the block in confusion.

With a sigh of defeat, Catherine slowed the car to a stop near Tai, who eagerly bounced over to her with a lopsided smile plastered on his face.

"So…" Tai tapped the roof of his car, clearing enjoying the moment as he looked on at the horizon of housetops. "Is it my turn to drive yet?"

"Shut up and get into the car." Catherine hissed as she slid across the bucket seats so she now sat at the passenger's seat, close to the window as she could get her body.

Tai opened the door and limbered in the vehicle. He gave a sigh that had thickness of a gloat. He beamed at her. She glared back at him.

"You know, after the shock wore off from being embarrassed in front of these lawn people, it was quite amusing watching you go around and around like that." Tai grinned at her, showing his pearly whites. "Seriously, I thought you would be gone after you made that right then left but nope. No, you just came circling back around."

"Just drive." Catherine smooth her skirt out of wrinkles, then fluffed up the base of her hair.

"Do you know what they think?" Tai asked her as he nodded his head to all of their personal audience.

"That you screwed up?" Catherine fluttered her eyelashes at him.

"Aren't you the cute one?" Sarcasm slithered from Tai's mouth heavily. "No they think we are newlyweds! Can you imagine such an idea? Us? Married, you and me! That's not all. They think that we are newlyweds looking for a home of our own."

"And that you screwed up." Catherine nodded her head, agreeing with herself.

"Why does it have to be me that screwed up?" Tai shot back, his brown eyes narrowing. "Maybe you screwed up? Huh. Guess that did not come across your mind. Maybe they think that I married a gluttonous, over dramatic, self center, spoiled, little rich Madonna."

"How dare you!" Catherine slapped him with a stinging force.

His hand quickly shot up to smooth his assaulted cheek with a snort. "Is that a love tap? Do we get to kiss and make up now?"

Catherine was furious that her slap only managed to amuse Tai. She made an unlady like growl, put both knees on the seat, and then proceeded with more rapid slaps against his chest and arms. She shrieked when muffled laughs came from Tai. To chase his laughter away, she took a handful of hair in both her hands and proceeded to crack his head against the window.

"Knock it off." Tai reached out to take her wrist in his hands. "You're going to poke my eye out with those nails. Have you ever thought of filing them down a bit?"

"I hate you!" Catherine voiced as she twisted her upper torso in an effort to release his grip on her.

"Can't say there is any lost love on my side either." Tai grinned, clearing enjoying her anger.

"What right do you have to speak to me about self centered? If I were, would I honestly be here right now? Hunting a home for a dear friend in a backward community with a Neanderthal as a tour guide? And do you really want to speak about drama because if you recall, I was not the one yelling like a gorilla nor was I the one throwing shoes at the back window of this campy, little, speckle of a car!"

"You …didn't….stop….the….car!" Tai hissed slowly as to make her understand. "I shouted at you to stop, I even said I was sorry. But noooo. You just kept on driving along thinking that you were the funniest thing on this side of the planet."

"Sorry? Sorry!" Catherine shrilled. "Your apology of sorry was to the old man your shoe had hit when it ricocheted off the trunk of the car, you bloody oaf!" Catherine pointed out.

"But I did say it. I said I was sorry." Tai sighed seeing Catherine cock her head slightly to the side. "Okay. Alright, I might have said it to the old man and not you. By the way his name is Thomas; he lives in the yellow house and had been married for forty years to the same woman." Tai motioned his head towards a well-trimmed house where an elder man sat watching the scene with the rest of his neighbors. "Still this is my car. You cannot just go around taking a person's car. It is illegal, you know. They'll throw you in jail or maybe just ship you back home and that ain't such a bad idea."

"Let go of me." Catherine tugged her wrist once more from his grasp.

"Are you going to slap me again or pull my hair?" Tai asked her as if he was speaking to a three year old.

"Of course. Then, I am going to slam my heel right into the side of your thick skull." Catherine spat at him. "Now let go of me!"

"That doesn't motivate me to let you go." Tai looked down at her pointed heels. "Nope, not in the least bit."

* * *

Sora pulled a cotton shirt over her head, her hair still wet from her morning shower. As quiet as she could so she would not wake Matt up, she pulled out a drawer and dug around until she found a plain black skirt. She turned towards the mirror, hating how vain she had become since her fashion career bloomed. She pulled her red hair back into a wet twist. Smoothing her hair down to plaster elegantly against her head, Sora's mirror image crunched up her nose and stuck out her tongue, then gave a buff of her cheeks. She stood still for a moment, her hand lowered to her belly with a frown.

Sora turned to the left, and then she turned to the right. She tilted her head as she smoothed her shirt over her waist with a heavy sigh. She placed a hand over her stomach and arched her back to visualize a bump that wasn't there.

"You look gorgeous." Matt muttered from under the covers of the bed he still vacated. "Scrumptious in fact."

"I look the same." Sora told him, turning to face him.

"Yes… you do." Matt said after a careful moment. Mornings were not his brightest moments with his mind still in a slight sleep coma but he was awake enough to know that he was speaking to his wife about her looks and caution must be used traveling this road. "You look exactly the same yesterday as you do today. Gorgeous and scrumptious, like I said."

"So I never change?" Sora grinned slyly, walking slowly towards the large wooden bed. "Always look exactly the same, do I?"

"Well…" Matt gave a yawn and allowed his eyes to drift shut. "Prettier every day."

Sora stopped at the edge of the bed and bent at the waist to peer inside the covers that Matt cocoon himself in, all except a small space he seemed to be using as an air hole. She slipped on her evil grin, dropped the skirt on the floor and pulled the blanket back so she could see all of her husband in his naked glory.

"Hey!" Matt's eyes shot open as he retrieved his covers.

"Modest?" Sora giggled, her slim hand covering her mouth to muffle the sound. "How precious."

"Freaking cold." Matt growled out and added one of his deadly stares, which of course Sora knew to be harmless.

"Matt." Sora sighed gloomily as she sat down on edge of the bed.

"Babe?" Matt's hand crawled out from under the covers and gently rubbed her arm. "What's wrong?"

"I have not gained any weight. I mean, look." Sora pulled her shirt up to bare her slim stomach, one that she kept so by their gym room down stairs. "I don't look pregnant. I don't feel pregnant."

Matt pulled himself up on an elbow to look at her stomach then up to her face. "You're disappointed that you're not fat? Lov, I don't think it happens over night."

"I know that." Sora rolled her eyes and gave him a slight push so he fell onto his back. She wiggled herself over his chest. She loved his eyes. The color, the way they lingered on her, as she was the only one that matter. Lifting her finger, she outlined his mouth. Sora smirked when Matt playfully snapped at her finger. "I'm four weeks pregnant. Four weeks, not a day not one week but four. You would think I should start noticing something."

Matt kissed her finger away from his mouth that curved into a slow grin. "Give it some time. I'm sure you will be big as a house in know time at all."

She playfully slapped her palm against his chest then with another sigh, she put her head on him, his heartbeat drummed in her ear. Matt's arms circled her, holding her close to him as one hand lazily slid up and down her spine, then over her rump. She just wanted something to feel that all this was happening. That she was carrying a child. With her index finger, she traced a heart pattern on his chest. "Do you know what I like about mornings?"

Matt shrugged his shoulders under her. His eyes drifted closed again and his voice started to become heavy with sleep once again. "Honey, I can't think of any reason why anyone would like mornings."

"Well I don't know about everyone else but for me mornings are a little bit different." Sora grinned playfully tapping her hand over his heart.

"How's that?" Matt asked her, prying his blue eyes open to look at her.

"Well." Sora slid the cover down once more and before he could recover them again, she lifted her leg so she could straddle over Matt's hip. "I get to see you naked every morning." She leaned down so she could kiss his lips, then his chin and down his neck. "And I love you naked."

"You know, I just might start liking mornings too." Matt lifted the hem of her shirt, throwing it over the side of the bed.

"You think you can get up in the mornings around this time for me? I do love to early morning playtimes." Sora whispered seductively, her tongue striking out from her mouth to trace his lips.

"I might need motivated but I think I'd be able to slither from sleep for you." Matt moaned when Sora pressed her bottom against his naked flesh and started to grind against him. "I'm motivated!" Matt growled, flipping her over on her back.

Sora laughed out as he nuzzled her arched neck while pulling her panties down over her hips. He groaned, feeling that laughter vibe in her throat. "I am so in love with you." He whispered as he pulled at her earlobe. His hands slid up and down her body, his fingers were everywhere at once.

"I love you." Sora whispered back, hooking her ankles around his waist feeling the heat of sex engulf her.

* * *

Tk watched his mother put a huge teddy bear inside the shopping cart. He reached over; pulling it, half out of the cart then looked at his mother. He wiggled the bear at her with amusement on his lips.

"What?" She asked him, taking the bear from his grasp to settle it back down into the cart.

"It would take the kid two years before it's the same size as the bear." Tk told her, scrunching up his face and holding up two fingers. "And it's pink."

"I think they will have a little girl." She tightened the bow on the bear with fondness. "I always wanted one more, a little girl. You know someone to have a mother and daughter talk with. To dress up in bows and ribbons."

Tk stared at his mother for a moment as she was an escapee from an institution people usually end up in once they seen aliens. "Well, I'm sorry Matt wasn't the girl you wanted but maybe we should hold off on the color scheme."

"It's never too earlier to start. You will find it out once you start having children. Once you find out that the special girl you end up with is having a baby, well the time flies from there." Nancy smiled in memory of her own pregnancy. Matt, much like now, proven to be difficult up to the delivery. She had swollen feet, heartburn almost every night and once he started kicking, she did not think he would ever stop. Tk on the other hand was more of an ease. With him, she could eat anything with just a little side effect. Lying on her side seemed to keep him comfort enough and reading, she swore she could read him to sleep even before he was born. Or humming, she would spend hours on the rocking chair humming and rubbing her belly as a way to comfort him.

"Mom?" Tk waved his hand in front of her. "Still with me?"

"Oh, of course." Nancy pushed his hand down and letting her mind come back to the present time. "I was just thinking about when I carried you boys."

"Let's not share the moment." Tk gave her a cold stone face that she knew he had no desire to discuss any pregnancy issues with her. "After all, I was there for mine at least. Wait for Matt to shows up and then you can tell him how much misery he caused you. For me, well let us move on and pretend the topic never came up."

Nancy rolled her eyes and once more started down the aisle of baby stuff. "I can't believe I'm going to be a grandmother."

"Really?" Tk asked, mocking a fake hurt. "You never expected that we would have kids? Us? I mean, we are hot. Girls drool over our golden god looks and you never thought that it would get us anywhere?"

"That's not what I meant." Nancy picked up a rattler.

"Did you think we would be gay?" Tk picked up a breast pump to examine.

"What? Of course, I did not think that. I never really thought of you boys in any other way then my babies, is what I mean." Nancy placed the rattler in the cart with a handful of bibs and took the breast pump from him, placing it back on the shelf.

"So…you thought our manly parts wouldn't work?" Tk started to reach up to examine a nursing bra. "Would there be reason to think our swimmers would do a dead man float or... OW!" Tk rubbed the side of his head where a plastic bottle bounced off just a moment before. "Quite throwing baby supplies at me, people will think you are a mean grandmother!"

"It's just hard to see you boys grown up." She looked at Tk from the corner of her eye. "Well Matt."

Tk retorted with a tongue sliding from his mouth that received a grin from Nancy.

"Yes, time does seem to fly." Nancy stopped at a baby toy that held a mirror. Her reflection shined back at her. She combed through her short honey blonde hair that was now starting to dull with white strains. Her hand fluttered to the wrinkles embedding at her mouth.

"You'll be the prettiest grandmother." Tk whispered, taking her hand away from her face to hold it in his own. "You already are the prettiest mother." He bent his head down a little to kiss the top of her head, something she had done to him when he was much smaller.

Nancy reached up and patted his cheek with tenderness. "I am so lucky to have you."

"Yeah, 'bout time you noted that." Tk winked at her and heaved the cart forward. "On wards as there are many other baby things you'll be picking up that the kid won't need until he's ten, no doubt."

"She." The mother reminded him. "You'll have a beautiful niece."

Tk laughed aloud. "I hope so. That would be great to see Matt getting his payback."

"His payback?" Nancy titled her head a little, something Tk noticed Matt does once in awhile as well.

"Well yeah." Tk grinned wickedly. "Think of all those times girls brought Matt home to meet their father. If he has a girl, well between him and Sora there is no doubt she will be gorgeous and guys…well." Tk shrugged, letting his mother finish the rest in her head. "Still, I'd like a nephew." Tk picked up a stuff soccer ball. "A nephew would be fun."

* * *

"Omigawd!" Catherine squealed with delight as Tai's small car slowly moved down the long driveway to the newest house on their list. A line of sycamore trees stood like soldiers along the driveway, one after another. The thick white barks were strong and straight. The branches were healthy and spacious barely touch the neighboring tree. The broad leaves allowed the sun to peek down at the car.

"I adore this already!" Catherine's eyes glimmered with excitement. She rolled the window down in order to get the fresh, clean air the area offered. "Matt and Sor are just going to love living here!"

"It's just the drive way." Tai mused. "For all you know, the house is a run down shack."

"With a lawn like this, no I highly doubt it." Catherine waved him off. "Oh do you smell that?"

"Smell what?" Tai panicked the thought of last night beans and onions jumped in his mind. He thought the pepto he drank that very morning would have helped.

"Water." Catherine gleamed at him. "I smell water!"

"Oh, well there is a creek that runs against the property. Just skirting around the yard." Tai moved his hand in the air as he spoke, to demonstrate the movement of the water. "Far enough to be safe in case of flooding. Unless there is a lot of flooding, like forty days or something then…" Tai shrugged, "I guess there are plenty of trees to build a canoe or something like that."

"Matt will love it. He adores fishing." Catherine frowned slightly. "Well maybe not but he uses it as an excuse to escape."

"Escape?" Tai looked at her then let out a howling laughter. "Yeah, I can see why he'd need to escape."

Catherine's mouth gapped open. "Are you applying that he is escaping from me? Why, I'm his best friend!"

"Yeah but you're well, you know." Tai gestured to her head down to her feet and back again.

"Know what?" Catherine looked down at herself then back at Tai. "Exactly what are you trying to say?"

"He's a guy and you're a girl." Tai said simply. "He probably wants to get away from all of that."

"All of me?" Catherine crossed her arms. "What about Sora? Are you not to be the best friend of her life? Are you not a boy and is she not a girl?"

"Well yeah, of course I'm a guy! I'm all man here!" Tai grunted, trying to sound a bit manlier. "But with me and Sor, well it's different." Tai smirked, enjoying the smooth ride to the house. He knew exactly what the house looked liked. Just yesterday, he swung by to do a complete check out of the place.

"How is it any different?" Catherine asked arching up her perfectly plucked eyebrows.

"Sora isn't like you. She's …well like less of a girl, while you are like really girly." Tai pointed out. "I can sit down and watch a soccer game with her. That is a guy thing and something that she enjoys. What does Matt get out of your friendship? Watching you put on eye stuff?"

"You are a piget!" Catherine growled. "For your information my relationship with Matt is not based on things that we share for entertainment but the support we give to each other and in knowing when the other needs it."

"Yeah, like I said you're all girly girl." Tai nodded his head. "Here we go. Home."

Catherine turned her attention away from Tai and towards the house, they were approaching. It was settled into the scenery quite nice with a wooden look to it. A garden landscape was growing along the wall with a turning pebbled walkway that disappeared into the back.

"There is also a tennis slash basketball court in the back." Tai grinned at Catherine. "For Sora of course because I'm sure Matt is somewhat similar to you and my dear friend will probably need to slam a ball around once in awhile. You know, to get rid of all that frustration."

"The frustration is due to the lack of oxygen your undeveloped mind is rooting up in all that hair!" Catherine made a circle around her own head. "Honestly, have you ever thought about donating for nesting? I'm sure it will keep the birds nice and cozy." She pulled the door open before Tai could reply and marched towards the house.

"Why haven't you showed me this house before the others?" Catherine asked as she stopped in front of the house to take in its structure.

"Well, mostly because of the distance. Thirty minutes away from my place." Tai explained quite seriously. "I'd feel better if Sora was closer."

"Yes but the other places were really a waste of time, now weren't they?" Catherine remarked a bit haughtier then she intended.

Tai rolled his eyes and dug into his front pocket to pull out a key that he was able to get from the current owner of the house. "The house was built in the twenties." Tai explained as he pushed the door open. "Remodel then again and again until it reached a more modern time."

Catherine stood inside the entrance room, the ceiling was high and a modest staircase rolled up in front of her. The staircase help divided the entrance room into two different directions.

"It started out as a two room home but as the years went by, rooms were added on until it reached it now state." Tai went on with the home's history as he followed Catherine to the left. "Small shower and toilet on the left…linen closet next to it, it's a walk in, you know."

Catherine stepped into the bathroom; nodding her head as to let Tai aware, she was listening to him. "The house has such beautiful lighting, so natural from the outside."

"Hmm…" Tai looked up towards the ceilings. "Yep, a lot of windows…hard to clean when they are up that high. But moving on." Tai turned from the bathroom, leading the way now towards the kitchen. "I remembered Matt could cook and actually liked cooking."

Catherine gasped at the huge kitchen when she entered. Wall to wall of stainless steel appliances shined back at her.

"Thought we could get a table and put over there for when they want to eat in here instead of the dinning room, which instantly is through that door." Tai pushed through a swinging door to an elegant dinning room. "It looks a bit plain right not, being empty but…"

"I have a perfect table that would go lovely in this room!" Catherine cut him off. "And curtains, thick and rich. Oh, just look at this view!" Catherine gushed over to the wall length windows that looked into the back yard and garden.

Tai stepped behind her to look over her head at the view. She was very aware of his closeness, his scent and an unbelievable magnetic field he seem to have surrounding him. It would be so easy to just step back, just one little step back and lean against him.

"See that oak out there?" Tai pointed at a tall tree that stood shadowing part of the yard. "I saw that tree and I could picture their kid, a boy, swinging on a tire swing that tied to that tree. He'll have Sora's smile."

"A boy?" Catherine asked, a bit skeptical.

"Sure, why not?" Tai asked a grin planted on his face. His voice was lower, sweeter, and much too sexy for Catherine comfort. "I'll be his god-father, you know."

"Hmmm…" Catherine took a deep breath and turned quickly away from the window and towards the hall. She went through a few other empty rooms, noting what the usage of each room could be used for and how she would decorator it for her friends. Then stopped at the last room on the first floor. Two sides of the room was nothing but glass windows out looking a quiet forest. The wooden floor was a rich and vibrant golden and the walls that were not window pained were stoned white. "This will be Matt's room."

"Matt's room?" Tai look inside it. "I thought it would be used as a lounging room."

"Matt loves open spaces." Catherine explained, swirling around the middle of the room. "He would be at total peace this room. His piano will sit there …and his guitar collections over there…and no doubt the band mates would be over so they can set up over there." Catherine pointed out each area with a well-manicured hand, plans spinning in her mind and the objects she spoke of appeared inside her mind. The room would be perfect. She had no doubt in knowing that this was the house that Matt belonged in. It called out for him. It fit his nature.

"I have an idea for Sora." Tai's voice intruded in her thoughts. He turned and headed for the staircase with Catherine following.

She followed him up the stairs, Tai still speaking about the house and giving his ideas of the house. Of course, he mentioned that decorations were not his line of expertise, which he said with a bit of a snarl, but pointed out how a few pictures of black and white art would look nice up the stairs. Catherine however kept her eyes focused in front of her, ignoring Tai's directions. She could not help but notice that he looked really good in those faded jeans he was wearing. They were not too tight and they did not hang on him. They fitted him perfectly and never had an ass look more appealing as it did now.

"Are you even listening to me?" Tai stopped his climb to turn and looked down at her.

"What?" Catherine tore her eyes from his ass to his face. "Of course I am. Pictures, black and white."

Tai rolled his eyes, not believing her entirely but not wanting another argument. Finally, reaching the top of the stairs Tai showed her the room he picked for Sora's office. It was large and a large, oval window seat was fixed at the back of the wall to over look the garden below. "Its over the kitchens so it's the same view, just higher up. You can see the pool from here, the courtyard, and the garden. Sora likes to look over everything. It is her way of keeping control of things. Not that she is a control freak but it keeps people safe. Plus she can open the window; take a break, read a book or something. And there is extra light in this room that will help with her stitches."

Catherine nodded her head as Tai spoke, agreeing with him entirely. She pictured Sora's office in her mind and transported the image into this room. Tai was right; it would be perfect for Sora.

"There is a room connected to this one." Tai walked over, opening it to revile a smaller room. "I'm guessing it was a storage room or something but it would be used as a playroom for their child and probably, they'll have more later on."

"Yes, with both of them working at him this would be ideal." Catherine stepped into the room. It was nice and cozy. The windows were high, far out of a child's reach and with the door open; Sora would be able to keep her eyes and ears on the child. It would make sense to be closer to Sora's workspace then as Matt, Catherine also thought, as he would not be able to hear the child over his music.

"And the bedroom…" Tai wagged his eyebrows and walked back out into the hall towards an end room that could not be mistaken for anything else other then the master bedroom. "Balcony room…ceiling window that even opens, they could put their bed under and look up at the stars…plenty of closet space…" Tai pointed to the double door closet. "The bathroom is interesting because it has no doors, just corners like a maze." Tai pulled her into the bathroom. "The shower is even open, floor drainage and the tub is huge! There are things they will be able to do in that tub that I would never be able to do in mine."

Catherine looked over at the huge tub and an image of a naked Tai popped into her mind.

"Of course if you shy when it comes to the toilet then there is a slight problem but eh, that's marriage." Tai shrugged. "Since it's inside the room, no one can accidentally march in on you, well 'cept for each other. Of course, there is another bathroom on this floor, but it is not as charming as this one. Simply actually. Tub, shower, sink, toilet. Very nice and very simple."

"I can not believe you did not show me this house first." Catherine looked around the bathroom once more before moving back into the more airy bedroom. "So much time would have been saved."

"Again, it was the distance that I had a problem with and I wasn't sure how the other houses were." Tai shrugged, stuffing his hands into his jeans. "Figured it was best to check out all the options first because just selecting this one."

Catherine nodded her head in agreement. "Well if they don't take it, which I doubt, then I will."

Tai stopped in his tracks and blinked. "Huh?"

"Seriously, it is a beautiful house." Catherine looked at him from over her shoulder. "I really am taking a liking to it."

"Did I mention how close it was to my own house? Like only thirty minutes?" Tai voice held a bit of panicked tone.

* * *

Finally dressed for business, Sora strolled glowingly into the kitchen. Matt was texting away in his boxers, leaning against the counter while eggs sizzled on the stove near him. Sora smirked; her husband was not much for communication but had a fondness of texting. Less words used, it was his ideal way.

"Eggs babe?" He glanced up at her as she settled down at their small breakfast bar.

"Hmmm…" She wrinkled her nose at the thought, she wasn't one for breakfast but with a baby on the way, every meal counted. "Oatmeal maybe."

"I called your office told Valerie you would be in later." Matt turned to get Sora's breakfast order ready.

"You called?" Sora smiled at his thoughtfulness. "Thank you."

"Well, I kind of left a message. Your assistance just rambles on when she's on the tel." Matt placed the hot oatmeal in front of Sora. "Do you want a banana with it?" Matt nodded at her bowl.

Sora smirked and lowered her eyes down towards Matt's groin.

"Should I call Valerie back and say you won't be in at all?" Matt whispered, leaning over to taste her lips.

"Mmmm, you are sooooo tempting." Sora spoke against his warm mouth.

"Give in to the temptation, lov." Matt moved his lips to her collarbone.

"I want too. I really do but…" Sora frowned when Matt pulled away from her, clearly disappointed. " I need to get everything in order before we move. I'm sure Tai already found places for us to look at and you sent Catherine there…"

"I didn't send her there." Matt said quickly. "She's not my aide or anything. She went on her own."

"You know what I mean." Sora let her voice show a bit of heat do to his own comment, just because he did not get to romp around some more. "We'll have plenty of time for us after the move." Sora pushed her half-eaten bowl away, it was nearing lunchtime now and she really needed to be off to the office. She wanted Valerie to take management at this location while she made a new office in her hometown. Sora was excited about moving back home and she knew Matt would fall in love with the small town area.

* * *

With out thought, Sora picked up her office phone from the desk. She tossed her hair off her shoulders to cradle the telephone. "Hello, Sora Ishida speaking."

"I have found you a house!" Tai smugly shouted into the receiver.

"Tai." Sora's eyes beamed just hearing her best friend's voice. "I knew you would find a place quickly for me. How far away is it from your own home?"

"Thirty long minutes." Tai sighed his words out in disappointment. "Tried to get you closer but no such luck. You'll love this place. Just need you guys here to make the purchase."

"Will the current owner be able to hold it until we arrive? It won't be for a few more days." Sora looked at her schedule desk calendar, thinking of all the things she needs to do before the move.

"Not a problem." Tai popped open a can drink from his side of the phone. "I explained the situation; the guy hasn't a problem with waiting on you. Not like anyone around here can actually afford the place anyways."

"What's it like?" Sora asked curiously.

'I'm telling you Sor, its perfect." Tai voices rose with excitement. "It's a place you both will be comfortable in and it has a perfect room for me when I come to visit and a guest house for Matt's friends."

"Tai." Sora grinned; she could hardly scold her dearest friend. "Matt's friends have as much right to stay with us as you do."

"Yeah, yeah I know." Tai had a bit of sulk in his voice that made Sora roll her eyes.

"So, did you and Catherine have fun house looking? Is she still with you? I hope it wasn't too much trouble." Sora frowned at the pause. "Tai, you still there?"

"That girl is impossible to deal with." Tai growled. "I dropped her off at the hotel. Couldn't get rid of her fast enough."

"She's not that bad." Sora couldn't help but defend Catherine. "She's the one that got me and Matt together, you know."

"Sora, she stole my car." Tai explained. "Drove it around while I chased her about half a block. Then she had the nerve to question my judgment like I'm some preschooler. She insulted me the whole time with that stupid accent of hers."

"What do you mean she stole your car?" Sora sat back in her chair, crossing her arms with the cell balancing on her shoulder while Tai went through his horrid ordeal with Catherine.

* * *

"I'm telling you Matt, the man in an ape!" Catherine gushed over the receive. Like Tai, she took a moment to call up her friend to tell him the good news of the house and its detail. "He's stuck in the stone age, makes grunting sounds all the time!"

"Hmmm…" Matt hit a piano key with a frown. Defiantly not the note he was looking for. He bit his lower lip and tried another key.

"The guy has no gentlemen qualities. At all!" Catherine continued. "Laughed at me when I slipped and fell. What kind of man does that?"

Nothing from Matt's end of the phone so Catherine answered for him. "A jerk. A jerk does that to a lady, Matt. He has no manners what-so-ever. Zero! He practically kicked me out of the car on reaching the hotel. I barely got out when he squealed away from me!"

Matt reached over to erase a note from his sheet book and replace it with a different one.

"He complained that I made him late. Then he wasted my time showing me homes when he knew a perfectly good one, which he thought it would be quite clever to save for last! Does that make sense to you?"

"Uh-uh." Matt answered while trying his key strokes.

"Nor does it to me and of course I spoke to him about it. Clearly someone that thick could even realize that we were not off to a great start so the clever thing to do would to end our misadventure as quickly as possible."

"Uh-huh." Matt frowned when the melody went out of sync.

"I had no breakfast because he rushed me this morning. Came up to my door when I was still in my robe and wanted to leave on the spot." Catherine turned the hot water on in the tub; she could really use a nice candle light bubble bath with some soft music. "He had me so upset, I didn't even want to eat lunch and I might just skip dinner as well. Lost my appetite."

Matt closed the lid on his piano keys and glanced at the clock. Sora should be home from the office in an hour.

"Grrr…I know. I know." Catherine rolled her eyes. "I should eat something. I shouldn't let the caveman bother me so much."

"Yeah." Matt agreed, picking up his music sheet and stuffing them inside a folder to view later with the rest of the band. Maybe one of them can see where he was messing up at.

"You are so unbelievably easy to talk to, Matt." Catherine sighed, letting the tension slip away as she slid into the hot bath. "You always make me feel better after such a ruddy day."

"Same here." Matt rubbed his eyes; it seemed later then it the actual time.

"I'm going to miss you when you move." Catherine pouted at the thought of her dearest friend moving so far away from her.

"Miss you too." Matt mumbled in the receiver as he walked through his house towards the kitchen. He was starving.

"So maybe I should make a habit of staying around once you and Sora move into the house. There is that guest house, which will probably stay vacant for long periods of time. Maybe it could be mind for the summer months."

"Sure." Matt agreed reaching into the refrigerator for the milk.

"I knew you'd see it my way!" Catherine squalled with delight. "So you speak to Sora to let her know of your decision, okay! I feel like I can eat now! Talk to you later Hun!"

Matt stared at the cell phone, the little icon blinked at him telling him that the connection had been broken. He was stunned. Sora will be furious that he didn't discuss that with her. She loved Catherine, no doubt about that and if Sora was here at the moment, she would have agreed. That's what always confused Matt. As long as they made the decision together, she was alright but when he made it with out her, it was hell. "Shit."

* * *

"I got up real early, like at ten!" Tai started pacing the floor. "Told her the day before when she called about her arrival that I would pick her up at ten forty-five. I was going to meet her outside the hotel. Just swing in, pick her up and out we would go, right?"

"Sounds ideal." Sora agreed.

"But she wasn't ready when I got there. I waited ten minutes then hauled my ass out of my car, into the freaking elevator to the third floor and knocked at her door." Tai ran his hands through his hair. "She barked at me when she opened it. Said she would only be a minute longer. She had me standing outside the door!"

"Well she doesn't really know you that well…" Sora tried to defend Catherine, that part was just practical for any women.

"Everyone knows me!" Tai threw his free hand in the air. "Anyways, so I waited for twenty minutes outside her bloody door before she emerged. I led her down to my car and she had enough nerve to remark on its size. Saying it's a bit small. She's what, five-three! I could stick her in a plastic Tonka truck and she'd still have leg room!"

"Tai, you have a pick-up truck." Sora loved his truck, it was huge and spacious and there was no where that thing couldn't go. "Besides, Catherine is taller then me. Like five seven or eight. Something like that."

"Whatever. The point is, I was being thoughtful and borrowed Kari's car." Tai sighed as he looked outside at his baby boy. It was black, freshly waxed. He even scrubbed the tires cleaned. "Thought her being so short, she might have a problem getting in and out. It's a good thing I did take the car too. She wore a skimpy dress and heels, would had broken her ankle trying to get out."

Sora grinned, the image of Catherine climbing in and out of the truck was amusing but no doubt the blonde would have been furious. "I'm sorry you had to a bad day. I was really hoping you two would get along."

"I'd do anything for you, Sor." Tai finally sat down. "Even if I had to put up with Miss Princess for the day."

* * *

**A/N: December will prove to be a terrible busy month for me. Sorry, I'll work on it a bit through out the month but I'm not going to promise an update until after the holidays. Thanks for reading**


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